From a distance, one would think that the sport of golf is doing just fine. On any given weekend you can find professionals battling it out in front of thousands of fans on major television networks. And, if you're lucky, you'll find arguably the greatest golfer ever chipping away at another piece of history.

However, more and more, everyday golfers are giving up on the game. Golf may be the latest victim in the economic woes that have swept across the nation.

A New York Times article paints a gloomy picture on the current golf situation. According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of people who play 25 times a year has fallen by 2.3 million. In 2000 those playing golf 25 times a year or more was 6.9 million, compared to 4.6 million in 2005.

The NGF also reported that the number of new golf courses is also in a slowdown. In the 1990s an annual average of 295 courses opened each year. Since 2000 there has been an average of only 210 opening per year, and several golf courses are closing or on the market for sale.

In fact, 2006 represented the first year in six decades in which golf courses saw a negative net growth: 146 closings versus 119.5 openings.

With fewer golfers and fewer golf courses one might be lead to believe that America is giving up on golf. This is a concern not only for those who make a career out of the game, but also those who love the game and the joy it offers.

There are several hypothetical reasons for the trends in golf today. Any economist would tell you that it is a simple case of supply versus demand. At the end of 2006 there were 15,990 golf facilities nationwide according to the NGF. Several hundreds of courses have closed their doors for business since 2000 due to the declining number golfers and the excess number of courses.

Chad Hill, a senior majoring in economics and avid golfer, said that no matter what product or service you talk about, an excess in supply and decrease in demand will always result in lower revenues.

"Unless the number of golfers increases, a lot more courses will close down. There is no doubt about it," Hill said.

Others say the problem is time. Students at BYU are often busy with class, work, studies, social life, and service.

The average round of nine holes of golf takes just over two hours plus travel time. Not only students but society as a whole has become so busy that two hours for recreation is often too much to ask.

This may just depend on your devotion to the game. Brandon Dickinson, a senior from Orem says he plays more than 25 times per year.

"I'm married, studying for the MCAT and a full-time student," Dickinson said. "But I love to play golf.I love golf and hope to play until the day I die."

Whether it is a glut of golf courses, lack of time or plain disinterest, three million people a year quit a game that millions of others have come to love.

Assistant BYU golf coach Todd Miller offers a different point of view.

"More bosses are actually checking on their employees," Miller chuckled.

Miller has been around the game for more than two decades. He watched his father the great Johnny Miller play professionally and cultivate an impressive career on the PGA Tour.

"I haven't really noticed a huge difference," Miller said. "There will always be ups and downs, and I have no worries at all about the future of golf."

"It will be interesting to see what happens when Tiger [Woods] moves on," Miller said. "But I don't have any worries for the popularity of the game at all."

Mary Buckheit is a columnist for ESPN. She grew up in a household where her father played golf religiously. Admittedly he was never great, but loved the game. One day he went to play and never came home. He passed away from a heart attack after hitting a beautiful drive down the fourth fairway.

Buckheit remembered her late father's love in an article after reading the same New York Times article that highlights golf's recession.

"My dad loved playing golf," Buckheit wrote. "He respected the etiquette, the honor code, and the beauty that can be found on even the most haggard of municipal courses. He felt humbled by every minute that he was lucky enough to be out there between the flags, away from the hustle and bustle. And because of that, he had egg cartons filled with golf balls in the garage that he would wash by hand in the offseason."

Often referred to the "Greatest Game Ever Played" golf is a sport for men and women of all ages. It teaches hard work, honesty, integrity and determination. To many, golf is more than a game -- it's a lifestyle they hope to enjoy for decades to come.