Bill Hobson’s 10 Most Fervent Golf Wishes For 2025
Michigan becomes the only state south of Alaska to enjoy 22 hours of sunshine per day so we can play late into the night. While not entirely sure how popular this concept would be among my Superintendent friends, the thought of a 9pm shotgun start outing would be really fun.
The PGA Tour finally realizes what a gem it has in the Rocket Mortgage Classic and begins treating the event accordingly. It boggles the mind to watch from afar as so many other events on the PGAT schedule are given preferential treatment with dates, status, and top player participation. Detroit (and Rocket Mortgage) deserves FAR better for the investment being made and the top-notch quality of the event they stage.
Integrity invades golf scrambles. Throughout the 2024 season, the MOST listened to and watched conversation in the history of Michigan Golf Live was titled, “Has Cheating Ruined The Golf Scramble Forever?” In response to the podcast, hundreds of comments were shared from frustrated golfers fed up with the outlandish scores being posted at scrambles. Honest players are tired of posting a legitimate scramble score of 59, only to be relegated to a distant 2nd place because another team managed to scrape it around in 46.
Every course enforces a 4 hour 30 minute pace of play policy. In this “no chance on earth” golf utopia, concepts of ready golf, maximum score per hole, and carts that automatically shut down at the appointed time all combine to begin eroding the all-too-common 5-plus hour round. While most private golf clubs already have a more stringent policy in place, the public golf universe has a LOT of room to improve.
A doubling of the participation in the wonderful “Youth on Course” program. This wildly successful campaign has brought thousands upon thousands of new golfers into the sport, offering parents the massive benefit of investing only $5 per round at participating courses. Even better, YoC reaches all the way up to the age of 18 – so if your young golfer isn’t already a part of it, this is the time!
A Caitlin Clark level player of impact for the LPGA Tour. Our state is blessed with a pair of outstanding LPGA events – the Meijer LPGA Classic and Dow Championship. Both tournaments embrace fans, deeply involve the community, and are among the favorites of LPGA players. Now imagine both competitions grabbing an even wider national spotlight as an uber talented new player emerges and sets the golf world on its ear.
More walking, less riding. This one is simple. Get out of the cart if you’re able, and walk when you play. With really cool advances in technology, there are plenty of innovative “robot” push carts (like the Axglo e5) that will literally do the heavy lifting for you so all that’s left is for you to walk and play. You’ll clock around 6 miles per round and find it to be just as quick as the riding version because everyone can walk directly to their ball. Try it. You just might like it.
Continued investment in short courses. As much as I enjoy a full 18-hole round with friends, there’s something really special about grabbing 3 clubs (maybe 2!) and winding down the day on these masterful creations. My personal favorites are the Bootlegger at Forest Dunes and the Short Course at Manistee National but there are still several to be explored...and hopefully more on the way.
Hot Take Alert! More sober golfers enjoying the game. Whether it’s the obnoxiously loud profane outbursts, damage to carts and course, and the implicit driving home somewhat (if not completely) impaired, out of control inebriation is evident far too often. Since when did it become super cool to get so hammered that you can’t play, remember, enjoy, or behave with any sense of decorum? Golfers are being oversold/served. They’re also bringing their own to the course. The idea of “blowing off some steam” is understandable...until it ruins the day for someone else who didn’t sign up for your foursome’s frat party.
A career low round for everybody. Remember that one day when everything was clicking? You couldn’t miss a green or a putt. The world was a bit brighter as you carded numerous birdies and avoided the disasters that always seem to wreck your card? Where did that magic go? It’s been 20 years (August of 2005) since my career low round of 69. Been close a few times, but more often than not, my finishing stretch throws a new potential PR directly into the trash (or pond to the right of #13). So, here’s wishing everyone finds that magic at least once in 2025!
