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▲ SPORT REPORT Golf's Big Drive Engaging New Players With Faster Play, Fun & Fitness O ne of several initiatives in the sport of golf to engage new players and retain current players was developed by the United States Golf Association (USGA). USGA recently unveiled a new public education campaign around the theme of "While We're Young," a new initiative to raise awareness across the golf community of the challenges and LPGA BY ALISON MITCHELL ZUNKLEI solutions to the pace-of-play issues in the game of golf. Borrowing the iconic line from the character played by Rodney Dangerfield in the classic 1980 film "Caddyshack® ," the campaign takes a lighthearted and comedic approach to encourage golfers of all skill levels and golf course facilities to join a movement to improve pace of play and reduce the time it takes to play the game. According to industry research, the time that it takes to play golf is a principal driver that adversely impacts enjoyment of and discourages participation in the game. In a recent study by the National Golf Foundation (NGF), 91 percent of serious golfers said they are bothered by slow play and that it detracts from their golf experience; more than 70 percent believed pace of Hit. Run. Repeat. Ask just about any sports organization leader what their major goals are, and they're likely to count keeping all the athletes they have and attracting new ones among their primary ones. This is also true of golf, said Tim Scott, executive director of Speedgolf International. "A couple of the big challenges in the sport of golf right now is pace of play and overall enjoyment of the game," he said, adding his organization exists to keep interest in golf high. Speedgolf is an extreme version of the sport, he acknowledged, "but it's also the idea that faster golf makes for more enjoyable golf for many." Competitors play nine or 18 holes and run between shots. Scores are calculated by adding the time taken to complete the round and the total strokes taken. For instance, if a competitor shoots a golf score of 80 and it takes 60 minutes to complete their round, their speedgolf score would be 140 (80 + 60). 18 June 2013 Competitors generally carry five to six clubs in a small re, bag, wear athletic golf attire, put on their running shoes and they are ready to go. Speedgolf has been around a while—since the 1970s—but it has gained significant momentum in recent months, Scott said. "We had our first world championships last October, and the event was broadcast later on CBS. This year, we have three big tournaments in Richmond, Va., and Portland and Brandon Dunes, Ore." ■ www sportseventsmagazine com www.sportseventsmagazine.com