Can a new association that promotes alternative rules save golf?
Many today feel that USGA’s rules stifle creativity and depress play among beginners. The Alternative Golf Association, through its Flogton project, hopes to set the rules of ‘golf for the rest of us.’
“We hope to preserve and promote all of the characteristics we love about golf while relaxing its rules, social restrictions and technological limitations to popularize a game – a competitive sport – where more of us can have success and more of us can have fun,” said Scott McNealy, commissioner of the new association. “And I think the AGA can do for golf courses what snowboarding did for ski slope operators.”
Most agree that the ski industry was saved by a huge influx of young snowboarders. Flogton hopes to reach out to the same demographics by allowing mulligans, 6-foot bumps and non-conforming balls and clubs. The AGA plans to develop both rules and equipment with the assistance of an online community.
“We want new ideas, feedback, inventions,” said Bob Zider, founder of the association. “We aren’t tied to any existing rules and we don’t have to observe any current limits – everything is open to discussion, including our name and our logo, and especially the game formats and rules, and the equipment possibilities.”
Can Flogton catch on? If so, can it make a difference for the industry?