PA-PLAYA Where did I mention frisbees and kick-ball golf being the answer?
Of course you didn't mention it.
My written opinion was based on those gimmicks are being used to get the younger generation playing 'golf' around the country. Our Parks and Rec have several frisbee courses in our community, one adjacent to a beautiful 18 course on the shore of our muni lake, and the community hosts regional tournaments. Our club has a sister location that has a putt-putt course, driving range, and former 9 hole pitch and putt. The pitch and putt is now closed to all but foot golf. You don't see many 40+ year olds throwing frisbees at a wire basket or out kicking the ball down the fairway - this dumbing down is intended to get the younger generation interesting in the concept of golf.
I do not see how 200 touring pros are going to get an entire generation interested in the game. On a good week, they have 2 days of practice rounds/obligatory pro-ams, meet and greets with their sponsors and guests, then 4 days on the course. They then try to squeeze in as much range time as possible and then there isn't much time to commit to promotion of the sport. Here's another problem with promotion to a new generation of golfers: exposure. IF you would have had a stop watch on Fowler or even the tourney leader today, how much total air time did they get during the few hours of live coverage? 5 minutes or less? It's just hard to relate to the professional golfers.
Gary Woodland is our most successful local sports franchise. 99% of the citizens couldn't pick him out in a line-up and he's back here a lot visiting his parents and in-laws and doing some charity work for friends.
Tiger Woods understood this and was one of the founders of the First Tee program (his father Earl personally started at least 2 area chapters). He knew the importance of getting the local club pros to donate a few hours a month to put on clinics for the kids so they could learn to hit the ball with donated clubs/balls. This program helps knock down a couple of big barriers to the sport: access to instruction and access to free/inexpensive equipment; and most importantly - exposure to this great sport.