What are the new generation bringing to golf?

Golf is increasingly being taken up by younger generations – but what are they bringing to the game and its culture?

Golf is no longer an old man’s game. In recent years it has been embraced by all groups of society. And while it has still maintained its traditions, the influx of players from an ever-diverse pool has brought fresh perspectives on everything from fashions to the format of the game itself.

But what exactly are Millennials and younger players bringing to the game?

Alternative games

It’s not just about the 18 holes with young golfers. They’ve got a busy schedule and often don’t have easy access to great courses. Instead, they’ve embrace the game in all its formats. While standard driving ranges are still popular, technology has made them a much more interactive experience.

TopGolf adds targets to the range that give you points the closer you get. The points are recorded via a microchip in the ball. This format also provides a more modern version of the clubhouse, with food and drinks served on the range – a set-up closer to bowling alleys than traditional golf courses.

Moving further away from the game is footgolf, which is exactly what it sounds like - golf played with a football. This amalgamation of the two sports is rapidly growing in popularity thanks to the fact you don’t need much equipment to play, and golf courses can be easily adapted.

Technology

It’s not just games like TopGolf that are adding technology to golf. Millennials are using it for everything from online booking on a number of new websites to measuring drive distances.

There are a range of apps that can be downloaded to phones for use on the course. These can monitor and improve your swing or provide you with quick and easy access to the rules.

Indoor golf simulators are also popular among younger players as it allows them to play the game without having to brave the weather.

Fashion

Anyone who watches the Masters or The Open will surely have noticed that golfers know how to dress these days. With top players sponsored by clothing labels, fashion is very much part and parcel of the modern game.

And that’s made its way to your local golf course. Millennials love to create their own style, so are happy to mix more traditional golfing wear with modern clothing. Expect a mix of vintage golfing classics with high street staples.

Equality

As mentioned, golf is no longer just a game for middle-aged, white men – younger players, women, families and ethnic minorities have long now embraced the game, reflecting the changing face of modern Britain.

In 2015, a survey for Sport England found that 50,400 people aged between 16 and 25 play golf once a week – up from 38,400 a year ago. It also reported a slight increase in the number of black and minority ethnic (BME) groups playing.

Meanwhile, around 700,000 women and young people in the UK are very interested in taking up golf, according to a survey from Syngenta.

Cheaper

With more young people eager to get involved, many clubs are being urged to drop their prices. Syngenta's report, Growing Golf in the UK, found that young people want golf lessons to become more affordable. Price is one of the main reasons keeping them from playing more often.

And with alternatives like TopGolf offering games from as little as £4.50, more traditional courses could be forced to look at their pricing. It might not mean a drop in membership costs but an introduction of more pay-as-you-play golf.

Flexibility

In the Syngenta report, along with price, one of the biggest turn-offs for young people is the rules. Up to 50% of golfers feel intimidated by club rules, regulations, members and staff.

In fact, those questioned say that relaxing the rules, creating more flexible membership options and introducing a casual dress code would all be much welcome additions to golf in 2016.