A couple of days ago Jen and I went out on a cart and I played a quick, active nine holes of golf, which was highlighted by making a seven foot putt and having the second eagle in my life (Chiricahua #2, a strange super steep uphill par-4; and to think I was that close to a hole-in-one on a Jack Nicklaus-designed par 4 hole!). I teed off at around 4:00 p.m. and for the next hour, there was no one ahead of us. We had the whole course to ourselves. It was fantastic.
It got me thinking about how much I love to play golf when it is an active, faster- paced round, and how much I really dislike golf when it is ‘slow.' Some guys call it a 'relaxing round of golf.' But, to me, when you’re backed up on the course, and you’re constantly waiting for someone to hit, it’s not relaxing. It’s just a buzzkill. It’s as simple as that.
The game of golf is struggling now, due in part because of the big chunk of time it takes to play an 18-hole round of golf. Guys just can’t or don’t want to do that now like in the past.
I might feel differently when I’m older, but I vote for making playing golf a more 'active' experience.