[EdZ]

That is the crux of the question.
Why is it "normal" for people to leave?
Would vast improvements in instruction and instructor accountability prevent this and thereby grow the industry?

The game is difficult and expensive with a legacy of exclusion.

Note the chart posted tracked the economic trends as a whole. When people have the money, they play, they take lessons and they join clubs.

When they don't, the trends go down.

And to think, our national debt ceiling was just raised by Congress and is now 9 trillion $$$$$$$.

Being in debt doesn't lend itself to playing games. Before long, it's GAME OVER.

To everything, there is a balance.