In the Rough: Golf’s Uncertain Future

Available for over a year.

Golf is in the trenches where a large number of people are leaving the sport, while cycling is growing in popularity. Mark Hodkinson examines this social and sporting phenomenon. Over a century old golf clubs are closing at an alarming rate across Britain, with dire consequences for the industry. Participation has steadily declined over the past decade. According to English Golf Between 2004 and 2013, one in five golfers in England gave up their club membership. But golf is still the fifth largest participation sport in the UK and contributes £3.4 billion to the British economy. So can the trend be reversed? Journalist and broadcaster Mark Hodkinson examines the failure of Golf Business magazine editor Alistair Dunsmuir, John and Marie Lewellyn to launch the website Golf’s Missing Link and former Times golf journalist John Hopkins. Mark sees the decline in participation as not primarily due to changes in social trends. We work longer hours, have less free time than ever and more households have two working parents. Who has time to spend an entire day on the golf course? Despite the young and cool upstarts of golf like Rickie Fowler, Rory McIlroy and Jordan Spieth, the sport retains a lofty outlook in cliquey clubhouses, ties and jackets, no trainers, ladies’ watches and the like. What are we doing if we’re not playing golf? Thousands of former golfers have swapped their plus fours and clubs for lycra and bikes. With the victories of Bradley Wiggins and Chris Froome in the Tour de France and Team GB’s recent success at the Olympics, the sport continues to grow. Preparation for smooth operations for BBC Radio 4.

Program websiteShow less