By PGA of America
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| Diaz on Charlie Rose |
GOLF DIGEST SENIOR WRITER JAIME DIAZ has been named the recipient of the 2012 PGA Lifetime Achievement Award in Journalism. Diaz will be honored April 4 at the 40th Golf Writers Association of America Annual Spring Dinner and Awards ceremony in Augusta, Georgia.
“Jaime Diaz has a gift in providing us with many of the finest, thought-provoking profiles of our industry,” said PGA of America President Allen Wronowski. “We may think that we know all that there is to know about golf’s top performers, until Jaime opens another door that causes us to pause and reflect upon the demands of this wonderful game.”
Diaz is the 23rd recipient of the journalism award. Beginning with the 1985 U.S. Open, he has covered more than 100 major championships. He has been awarded first place six times in the Golf Writers Association of America’s Annual Writing Contest.
“I am extremely honored and very humbled, because I’ve had a lot of help,” said Diaz. “I’ve probably been the luckiest golf writer in terms of where I’ve had the opportunity to work and who I’ve worked with. I’ve been especially fortunate at Golf Digest, where Jerry Tarde and his fellow editors are so supportive in allowing me to write in-depth articles about the important figures and issues in the game.”
Diaz began his professional career in 1975 at the Oakland Tribune as a “copy boy,” an entry position that offered a gritty, ground-level view of journalism. From 1978 to 1983, Diaz was a city-side reporter for the Sacramento Bee. He was then hired at Sports Illustrated, where he covered many sports including boxing, tennis and golf.
In 1989, Diaz moved to Golf Digest and soon after to the magazine’s owner at the time, the New York Times, where he was the golf writer until 1993. He then returned to Sports Illustrated to help launch the magazine’s Golf Plus section. He returned to Golf Digest in 2001, where he has remained a senior writer for the world’s largest golf publication, as well as its sister publication, Golf World.
Diaz’s books include teaming with Raymond Floyd in 1998 on The Elements of Scoring, and with Jack Nicklaus and artist Linda Hartough for Hallowed Ground: Golf’s Greatest Places in 1999. Diaz also wrote An Enduring Passion: The Legends and Lore of Golf in 2002. He recently assisted 1993 PGA Teacher of the Year Hank Haney with The Big Miss: My Years Coaching Tiger Woods, scheduled for release in March.
Diaz gave an interview on Sirius that blew me away. He talked about the reasons why golf has been in such a decline across the states. Essentially the game was too long, too expensive and too difficult. Stats seem to agree with him.
No doubt, golf has many challenges to overcome to, first, halt its decline and then somehow increase its popularity. It's not a new problem and it's not going away any time soon.
You're right, but I think there are some things that can be done right away.
Golf courses need to start enforcing pace of play rules. I know it's delicate, but that drives a lot of people away.
Secondly, I think instructors like myself need to find ways to make learning the game more affordable for families. Charging $125/hour can make you a lot of money, but how many families can afford that?
Finally, I think golf courses can also find ways to add value to their product. Why not let kids play free with their parents or throw in a hot dog and drink?
Things that really don't eat the bottom line too much but can make a huge impact.
All great ideas, Sean. Faster play, more affordable, get kids into the game. Everyone should get on board before golf courses become like cemeteries.