One industry that has been hit hard by the recession of 2007-09 is the game of golf. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of Americans over the age of six who played the game dwindled to 25.7 million by 2011 compared to 30 million before the recession. The number of rounds played shrank from 500 million to 463 million.
The Professional Golfers’ Association (PGA) of America and many others are taking some steps to attract more players. One of the attempts made by the PGA in June 2013 is a campaign designed with Golf Digest called “Time for Nine.” Attempts to attract more players started almost five years ago and the new push has the Gold Digest and the U.S. Golf Association’s blessings. The Golf Digest has created and published a list of “nine-hole-friendly” courses on its Web site. These courses promote men, women, junior and family play for any level player. Many recognize that the typical 18-hole game is a poor fit for busy American lifestyle. The nine-hole game cut down the five hour 18-hole game sessions and allows players to spent time with buddies and their family. Nine-hole is less intimidating and more fun to play.