Be generous. Future billions lie East.
With the most intriguing golf tournament ever in the history of Asia underway, it’s hard to look too far past the tight race for No. 1 and the action at Shenshan International, but some of the games biggest names believe China has the potential to yield more than just land for the growing upper class. The Palm Beach Post’s Edgar Thompson reports that Jack Nicklaus and Greg Norman, who (among other Westerners), both have offices and multiple ongoing projects in China, predict the men’s golf world order to sound a lot more similar to the women’s rankings in the foreseeable future.
Here’s Nicklaus, who currently has 14 courses under construction:
“I was asked on a trip over there about a year ago, ‘Will we ever see a Chinese golfer in the top 10 in the world?’ ” said Nicklaus, whose golf course design business is booming in Asia. “I wouldn’t a bit surprised to see five Asian players in the top 10 … in a fairly short period of time, 10 or 15 years.”
And the prophetic Norman:
“I truly believe in the next 20 years the East will take over the West with the domination of the game,” said former world No. 1 Greg Norman. “There’s no question about it.”
Surely in a country with 1.3 billion, there’s a dozen of potential Yao Mings. I mean, golfers don’t really have to deal with that whole height thing. And then there’s the athleticism factor. Obviously, golf requires a different set of athletic skills than basketball, which are more conducive to training than natural talent.
(Don’t confuse the quick ascent with the women’s game to the men’s, though — they’re not the same beat, but that’s for another time.)
In short, think about the development of golf in China like it was for the US in the ’80s and multiply that by at least three.
(Photo by Andy Wong/AP Photo)
Jack will take a lot of heat for what he said. He is right though. You should do a blog on why you think it will be a whole different ballgame compared to the even swifter ascent of the women.
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I disagree on the height issue; I’m sure that Dustin Johnson-esque titans are going to be the future, forcing courses to add a few hundred yards here and there.
I wonder if people in Europe have been saying that about the US in soccer ? If we just got our act together, in theory why in the world would we not be able to beat (for example) Netherlands every year ? Its just a matter of greater population generating more chances for freaky talent to emerge. But somehow it just never happens.
I think YE Yang proves they don’t need elite level courses over there to become champions on the PGA either – Yang played Hazeltine just fine, ditto PGA Nat’l in Florida. Just need to focus on their games and develop the skillset…the #’s are too hard to argue with, and the desire for everyone in China to move into solid middle class life will drive interest in golf.
Both Norman and Nicklaus fully understand the power of the game. Heck I think I pretty much understand it myself and I’m nobody. Golf has got its hooks in Asia, there’s no turning back, it will only grow like mad. It hooked the Brits, then us over here, and now’s its crossed the pacific. The world is just one big golf course man.
This one I disgree, unless they are korean or japanese but all other culture? No, because only rich people can play this game in asia thus not giving any chance to poor people who have the ability but no financial resources. That’s what makes America and Europe dominate because its still a fair country in terms of sport and the support given both by private and the govt.