For those who don’t have a passion for the game, golf will never be anything more than a shrine to discretionary spending. The aggregate cost for green fees, equipment and the sport’s many gadgets that have become commonplace over the last several years can appear laughably foolish.

Many a player has filled a $150 bag with more than $1,000 worth of clubs. Some have added $400 range finders or GPS systems that provide precise distance information from anywhere on the course.

Serious (which only sometimes means strong) golfers either come to terms with the expense or pay it no mind at all and almost 200 of them will tee off today in the Westwood Invitational Presented by Oklahomatickets.com at Westwood Park Golf Course.

Just like most of its 30-plus years of existence, the tournament is something many local golfers can’t go without.

“You don’t have a three-day stroke tournament very often,” Westwood Park head pro David Lisle said. “Everyone’s competing at the highest level they can compete at and it’s a big deal.”

The event has its loyalists and most are working on some sort of consecutive year streak. If a year is missed, a new streak tends to begin just as soon as the next Independence Day weekend.

Tough economic times, however, can affect a golfer and golf courses like a 3-iron to the knee. When finances are tight, money spent on rounds and equipment can be hard to justify.

If ever there was a year it would show over the course of the Westwood Invitational, it would be this one. The tourney ceased being a simple local attraction decades ago. It annually draws players from all corners of the state and has enough out-of-state entrants to qualify as a national event.

Lisle was like many who figured a tough economy would take a healthy slice out of the field.

“I thought we would only see 150 players,” he said.

It costs $190 to play in the 54-hole event and $230 if you pick up a cart the whole way. Travel costs for non-locals is another consideration. Lisle has already seen the down economy take a cut out of general play at the city’s only municipal course.

“People hold onto to their dollars now more now. People are being cautious,” he said. “They hear the bad news every day about the economy. Their jobs are on the line all the time. Their buddy got laid off. They have to do more and it isn’t easy to get time off. This is about as tough a time as I’ve seen.”

Throughout the country, courses are lamenting the loss of rounds. In tough economic times, one easy way to save your golfing dollars is to skip a round here or there or miss your annual tournament.

Oklahoma has held up better than most states when it comes recessionary effects on the golf industry.

Recent data from the PGA of America indicates Oklahoma hasn’t seen a dip. Through the first four months of 2009, rounds were up in the state by more than 10 percent (13,052 statewide vs. 11,639) over the same four months of last year.

Better weather in the late winter and spring were beneficial, but it also shows Oklahoma golfers are a loyal bunch when it comes to hitting the links. They’re also a very loyal to the Westwood Invitational.

Tuesday, Lisle was ecstatic that 190 had still signed up to play. He figured if it came in under 200, it wouldn’t a significant drop. By the end of that very afternoon, another 20 had committed. However, that number failed to hold.

It’s conceivable, with open spots in the right flights, the tourney could still add a few more players today. As is, 187 are scheduled to tee off beginning this morning.

Numbers may be a little off, but not much. Norman’s municipal golf course remains a holiday destination.

“That shows that they still love this tournament. It shows they’re willing to save up and play in this tournament,” Lisle said. “They know they’ll have a great time.”

John Shinn

366-3536

jshinn@normantranscript.com