When Augusta National Golf Club begins its new initiative Thursday to allow some youngsters to attend tournament rounds free, no one will be more pleased than Phil Mickelson.

Phil Mickelson (center) offers advice to amateur Michael Thompson. Mickelson said he would like to see golf in the Olympics. (Chris Thelen/Staff)

The reason? Golf needs to attract more youths if it's going to stay popular.

"We seem to be stagnant in the growth," he said Tuesday. "We lose as many golfers as we gain in the United States."

Recent statistics about golf playing in America back up the two-time Masters Tournament champ.

The number of golfers has declined or remained flat each year since 2000, dropping to about 26 million from 30 million, according to a recent New York Times story about National Golf Foundation and the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association data.

As troubling to the golf industry is that the number of people who play 25 times a year or more fell from 6.9 million in 2000 to 4.6 million in 2005, the article stated.

The new policy by Augusta National will allow children ages 8-16 to attend tournament rounds free when accompanied by an accredited patron (the person whose name appears on the badge application). One child per patron is allowed.

"I think Augusta has always taken a leadership role in the game of golf," Mickelson said. "Their leadership here in bringing kids more into the game and getting them exposed to the Masters Tournament .... will help grow the game, especially if other tournaments take that lead."

Mickelson recalled that when he was a kid some municipal courses would allow youths under a certain age to play free after a certain time of day. He said he would like to see that happen again.

Another way to increase golf's popularity, Mickelson said, would be to make it an Olympic sport. The last time golf was played in the Olympics was 1904 in St. Louis. There was a strong movement to make it a part of the 1996 Olympics and hold the competition at Augusta National, but that fell through when some Atlanta officials allowed politics to get in the way. If it ever resurfaces at the Olympics, Mickelson said, it would boost the sport internationally. He would want to be on the U.S. team.

"I do think having golf become an Olympic sport is a very important thing for the game of golf, and I would definitely play if given the opportunity to represent my country," said Mickelson, who has represented the United States on Ryder and President cup teams. "I think (the Olympics) would be the biggest step we could make in growing the game."

Reach Mike Wynn at (706) 823-3218 or mike.wynn@augustachronicle.com.