DEMOPOLIS – The game of golf can sometimes be a bit frustrating, but there are questions as to why people in West Alabama and beyond have pulled away from the sport.

With the sport gaining popularity slowly throughout the past few years, recent times have shown a dip in the number of people playing golf.

“It’s getting more and more popular all the time,” Ravine Pro Rex Bible said.

“Since I have been here, it has picked up 25 percent.

But in the last year or so, it’s gone back the other way and we have seen about a 20 to 25 percent decrease.

I don’t know if it’s the economy or the time it takes to do it.

But it’s not just down here in Demopolis.

It’s down all over the United States.”

Over the past few years, the West Alabama area has definitely seen an increase in popularity in golf – as West Alabama Prep has now added a high school golf team along with the DHS team.

“WAP started about two to three years ago,” Bible said.

“Ever since we’ve moved out here, they added a team because they now have a place to play.

I have definitely seen an increase in numbers for the DHS team over the years.

These kids are not just the future in golf, they are our future period.

I love to see them on the golf course – it teaches them a lot about self discipline.”

So what lies ahead for the future of golf in West Alabama, and more specifically high school golf?

“I think it will go up,” Bible said.

“I think high school golf will become more like colleges with a kid taking that next step to making it to professional golf.”

Some may argue that other sports in the Demopolis area have precedence over golf, but Bible feels differently.

“Golf is the greatest game in the world,” Bible said.

“There’s not question about that.

There are no referees, no umpires, and no bodyguards.

It’s the greatest sport.”