CHARLOTTE, N.C.
— In a little more than a week, the PGA Tour with its stars and sunshine will roll into Charlotte for what is now called the Quail Hollow Championship. The golf course, emerald green, has never been better. The field, if the hints are true, will include Tiger Woods and Phil Mickelson, an Angel with a new green jacket and just about everyone else who spends their weekend afternoons on television chasing trophies. There will be thousands of fans spread across Quail Hollow, some watching golf, some visiting with friends, some there to be seen. And some people will think it’s a bad idea. Golf – professional golf in particular, and specifically the PGA Tour – has been in the crosshairs this year of some who see what they believe is an elitist sport continuing to live a fat life in a suddenly slimmed down world. Wells Fargo has been forthright in saying it will honor its contractual obligation to the tournament, which runs through 2014. Golf isn’t a villain, though it’s been portrayed that way by some.
There is a perception golf is mainly for the rich and idle, but 70 percent of golf rounds are played by average people on daily-fee courses. Country club golf is trending down.