It wasn't that long ago that golf was the fastest growing game around. Kids and adults were signing up at record levels to play and getting a tee off time or getting a round in in less than 5 hours was near impossible. Green fees also skyrocketed with the game's popularity. Damn you law of supply and demand! Oh how times have changed. Somewhere between the appearance of Tiger Woods and his illicit affairs golf has entered the doldrums and the golf business is desperate to get people back on the links. What they're doing is pretty typical of our society... dumbing it down.

PHOTO CREDIT - EdmontonJournal.com

Calgary - August 8, 2014 - It wasn't that long ago that golf was the fastest growing game around. Kids and adults were signing up at record levels to play and getting a tee off time or getting a round in in less than 5 hours was near impossible. Green fees also skyrocketed with the game's popularity. Damn you law of supply and demand! Oh how times have changed. Somewhere between the appearance of Tiger Woods and his illicit affairs golf has entered the doldrums and the golf business is desperate to get people back on the links. What they're doing is pretty typical of our society... dumbing it down.

I recently read an article about a golf course that is putting in larger holes. Instead of 4.25 inch holes, the course will be adding 8 inch and maybe even 15 inch holes in an effort to speed up the game and make things easier. These courses are also considering moving the tees closer to the hole.

At first I thought this was a good idea? I always thought it was unfair how a 300 yard drive was equal to a 1 inch putt, but then I changed my mind. Isn't this typical of our dumbed down, make things easier, strive for equality society? Here are some more examples.

1. Young, overweight kids want to join the military, but can't pass basic training because they're too fat. Instead of failing them and telling them to go home, the military lowers the standard. Kudos to those volunteering for duty, but is lowering the standard for national defence prudent?

2. Sports leagues discourage competition by eliminating keeping score. This is done to protect young children from the embarrassment of defeat and to celebrate 'participation'. All it does is set kids up for major disappointment. Here's a reality check... some Mom's and Dad's are keeping score and they're telling their kids. In the future those kids will eat the kids who 'just participated' alive. At least the kids that are eaten will have a wall of participation medals to look back on... while they're participating in the unemployment line.

3. Shopping malls and provincial governments are in on the insanity too. Observe the multitude of people getting tax dollars for mobility scooters simply because they can't control their eating. Shopping mall scooters are usually occupied by people who would be better off walking, not getting a free ride. Taking the tough route and getting healthy just isn't fair. Calling these people fat is also frowned upon. Meanwhile lanes of traffic are taken up by people who think these slow moving fat transports are legitimate modes of vehicular transportation. Have you seen them?

4. As a cyclist I get great satisfaction from ripping by people riding E-bikes. These electric assist vehicles have pedals, but most people don't use them. I think these electric bikes were invented to make it easier for people to enjoy a bike ride. Unfortunately they've become another way to make it easier to do nothing, but have a great view while not doing it.

5. Did you hear about the schools that are banning honours ceremonies? Gone are the days of seeing bumper stickers that claim, ’I'm the proud parent of an honour student at ACME High School'. Apparently celebrating great academic achievement isn't fair and harms those that are under-achievers. All it really does is postpone revealing who will be your boss in the future.

Now back to our dumbed down golf courses.

If these privately owned businesses want to make things easier for their customers they have every right to do so. It could mean the difference between closing shop or staying in business. Good luck to all the struggling golf courses, but you'll never find me trying to drop a fifteen footer into a 15 inch cup. I'll just miss the the 4.25 incher and swear and throw my club like the rest of the true golfers.

*If you've noticed any other cases of a dumbed down society, let me know about them. I'll put them in an upcoming column.