There are many amazing aspects of our game.
Golf is exercise, bonding with family and friends, an escape from reality and so much more. Here at MGS, we’re obsessed with it. For the most part, we love how the game has evolved over time from technological advancements to relaxed dress codes to inclusiveness.
But there’s no doubt that not every trend in golf is favorable. Some of them are downright disappointing.
As a queer/traditionalist official, I have a lot of opinions about trends that I find annoying.
These are the seven that bother me the most.
7. Tee times too close to each other
While you could argue that this problem has always existed on some level, the pandemic boom has encouraged more courses to lock in a tighter time frame lately.
We’re talking tee times every seven to nine minutes instead of every 10-12 minutes (and, yes, that makes a difference).
When you start closing the gap on tee times, you’re creating a deadlock that lasts all day. This makes the round longer and the experience significantly worse.
This is just greed. Courses can distribute tee times appropriately instead of sacrificing the golfer’s experience just to extend their profit margins.
Unfortunately, many courses don’t see it that way.
6. Ball marks are not fixed
I wrote about this last year if you want a deeper dive into my breakdown.
The short summary is that ball marks are not being fixed at a much higher rate than we have seen in previous generations. There has been a general decline in ethics (a theme on this list) and many new players aren’t even aware that you need to fix ball marks (or how to do it properly).
This issue is difficult because it affects everyone. When fewer golfers adjust their ball marks, the health of the course declines. The balls don’t spin as well and miss more shots.
My rule of thumb is that I always try to pin one more ball point than I have left. Lose the green, fix a ball mark. Hit the green, fix two ball marks. Leave the course better than you found it.
5. Obnoxious caps with acronyms in capital letters
To be clear, I don’t really care what you wear. Do whatever you want.
However, that doesn’t mean he can’t poke fun at clothing trends. These all-caps acronym caps—and their cousins, the inverted caps—have reached a boiling point for me.
Look, clothing trends change. i understand I really like the modern golf wear trends.
Hats are not one of them. They just don’t look good. Everyone and their mother is trying to copy the same version. Maybe clubs should work on something original instead of copying a trend.
You know it’s bad when the Masters come out with “EGG SALAD” hats (thankfully they didn’t shorten it to “EGGSLD”).
On the other hand, I really like how 90s style hats are coming back into fashion. Let’s take this trend even further in cooking.
4. Blasting very loud music on the course
Let me preface this by saying that I don’t mind the music on the course.
It’s not my personal preference – I golf for some peace and quiet – but people wanting to play golf with some music isn’t a trend that bothers me.
What bothers me is when the music volume reaches asinine levels.
If you can hear the music from two ways, it’s too loud.
Your music should be able to be heard by your group and your group only. Don’t subject everyone else on the property to your personal choice to listen to music during the round.
3. Crowds get more combative at tournament events
We just saw this during the US Open, as the gallery opened against Wyndham Clark.
I took some flak for thinking that the hate for him crossed the line while the crowd was clamoring for his ball to go into a bunker or roll off the green. I still stand by this: golf should have decorum above other sports where such behavior is tolerated.
This is not just about the US Open. Last year’s Ryder Cup was terrible. The crowd got personal and someone even threw a beer at Rory McIlroy’s wife.
The Players Championship and RBC Heritage crowd this year openly rooted against Matthew Fitzpatrick just because he’s not American. I don’t understand it.
I’ve enjoyed the Phoenix Open in years past and I think that kind of atmosphere is fun to have once a year, but even Phoenix has jumped the shark with how wild this event has become.
Pro golf is just in a weird place with its crowds. Drinking is encouraged and there are side effects from it.
2. Practice increasing prices for medium range balls
Of course, everything is more expensive now. Green fees are up, equipment prices are up, golf resort prices are crazy, etc.
So you could argue that the nagging trend is inflation or golf simply becoming so ridiculously expensive. That’s right, although the issue extends to many products and services outside of golf.
For this, I will choose driving range prices.
My local range just raised the price of a large bucket from $15 to $20. These are medium range balls that haven’t been replaced in years. Half of them are scratched. Even the ball with the best range in the bucket is a below-average ball. And we are either hit by mattresses or poorly maintained grass.
There was no improvement in range. They are the same balls. But the range can change the price because the demand will not fall above a few dollars.
With other golf parts, you can justify the purchase. A driver costs $600, but you are getting a great driver. A round of golf costs $140, but you are getting a nice round of golf. Maybe you’re paying too much, but you’re getting something decent.
It is simply insulting to pay 20 percent more for a product which has only gotten worse.
1. Everyone trying to become a YouTube golf influencer
I want to clarify this because I don’t want this to be misinterpreted.
I really like golf on YouTube. It is useful for the game. The main channels are a lot of fun. At this point, there is something for everyone. If you prefer comedy, it’s there. If you want to watch incredible golf, it’s there. If you like a niche like architecture or travel, it’s there.
The trend I find annoying is the depth of content creators, influencer culture, and the idea that anyone who can break 100 should get off their camera and try to start their own YouTube channel.
There is only so many channels at this point. If it doesn’t stand out in a meaningful way, it’s too much shouting into the void.
I understand that some people really enjoy recording themselves and enjoy the process of editing a video together. It’s more of a side hobby to keep busy. Looks aren’t that important. It’s like a digital journal of your golf trip. This makes sense.
But there are many people out there who are doing this just to make money. They will bend over backwards to try to make viral clips. They will partner with anyone to gain exposure. It becomes more and more artificial.
There’s a fine line to walk with all of this, but I think following influencers has gone too far.
What do you think is the most annoying trend in golf?
Let me know below in the comments.
Main photo caption: Golfers wait for the green to clear before playing their shot. (GETTY IMAGES/Pete Kiehart)
