SHORT GAME
Are ‘Dualies’ Golf’s Best Customer?
May 9, 2024It’s long been assumed that the traditional, green-grass golfer is golf’s best customer. But research shows it’s actually the committed participants who engage with the game both on course and off who really move the needle for play and spend.
Read MoreThe (Rising) Cost of Golf?
April 25, 2024The money golfers pay to play benefits courses and companies throughout the industry. But for the first time in a generation, golf courses are perhaps the business segment enjoying the greatest benefit from the game’s current surge.
Read MoreThe Pulse of the Golf Consumer
April 11, 2024As the unofficial kickoff for the golf season, Masters Tournament week is an ideal time to take (and report on) the pulse of the golf consumer. More than 123 million Americans consumed golf in some fashion in 2023, a reach that’s up significantly in recent years.
Read MoreWhich Way is Municipal Golf Going?
March 28, 2024Municipal golf is not facing an existential threat. In fact, it surprises some to learn that the number of municipal courses nationwide has actually increased over the last decade. This gain stands in contrast to broader U.S. supply reductions and the challenges ‘muni golf’ encounters in some areas.
Read MoreFULL SHOTS
The Revealing Complement Between Off and On-Course Golf
Almost 10% of golfers got started away from the golf course, and ties run deeperMay 9, 2024
In each of the past two years, the number of Americans participating in off-course forms of golf has surpassed the total number of traditional, on-course players. But the off-course game is complementing the on-course game rather than passing it by. Here’s how.
March 2024 National Rounds Played
Strong spring start in northern climes lead to spikes in playApril 25, 2024
March rounds see biggest national jump since the 2021 rebound that followed 2020’s pandemic lockdowns
New NGF Survey: Core Golfers
Golf's best customers weigh in on 2024 plans to play, travel and spendApril 11, 2024
The approximately 13 million Core Golfers in the U.S. represent about half of on-course participants but account for over 90% of annual play and spend. These are the consumers really move the needle in the golf business when it comes to play, spend and overall engagement.
Is Golf Really Experiencing a ‘Munissance’?
Numbers to know - from openings and closings to conversions and resurrectionsMarch 28, 2024
Municipal golf is in a unique place. On one hand, there are high-profile examples of popular muni facilities on the proverbial chopping block due to land values. On the other, there are well-backed efforts to preserve and restore some of the game’s most historic properties. Municipal facilities are typically where golf is most affordable and accessible to people of all demographics, and there’s greater attention on their impact today given the sport’s renaissance.
February 2024 National Rounds Played
Rounds rebound after slow start to the year in JanuaryMarch 25, 2024
On a national level, February was the third-warmest on record. More than a dozen states had one of their three-warmest Februarys ever, particularly in parts of the Midwest that typically see golf courses still closed over the first few months of the year.
New Supply & Demand Reports for All 50 U.S. States
This state is #1 for public golf... and it's not Florida or CaliforniaMarch 14, 2024
Want to know more about the number of golfers in a particular state, or the proportion of public to private golf? Looking for information about municipal golf facilities, Par 3 courses, residential golf properties or resorts? NGF’s 1-page state profiles provide key supply and demand data at your fingertips.
Short Game.
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