3-Minute Business Insights
Consumer surveys indicate that gift-giving for all things golf – including equipment, apparel and accessories -- is projected to remain strong this holiday season, even as manufacturers and retailers wrestle with production, inventory and shipping challenges.
Topics: Consumer Spending, Economy, Engagement, Research
October rounds-played almost matched the late-season surges seen in 2020, as total play remains up year-over-year.
Topics: Facilities, Golf Courses, Participation, Rounds Played
Military Golf in the U.S.
Golf is an important recreation and rehabilitation outlet for those who serve and protect our country.

Collectively, the various branches of the U.S. Armed Forces operate more than 150 U.S. golf courses. If the individual branches were grouped together to form a single management company, it would rank among the top multi-course operators in the country.
Topics: Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Management, Management Company

Green Fee Changes and the Cost of Golf
NGF operator surveys and database dive into whether the pandemic has driven price increases

A recent survey of public golf course operators revealed fairly widespread pricing adjustments in 2021 that impacted average playing fees. Those increases varied from bumps in peak season and non-peak rates to limited discounting and a shifting of what courses consider their “peak season.”
Topics: Consumer Spending, Economy, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses

Rounds played continued to see strong momentum during July even though year-over-year play was actually down compared to last year’s pandemic-fueled summer surge.
Topics: Engagement, Facilities, Facility Operations, Participation, Rounds Played
There have been far more golf course closures than openings in the U.S. over the past 15 years. But did you realize that almost 740 U.S. golf courses have had openings during that period? That total, during what’s looked at as a “down period” for the industry, is more than the entire golf course supply in nations such as Scotland, Ireland, Spain and South Africa.
Topics: Construction, Development, Economy, Facilities, Facility Supply
Not All Golf Course Closures Are Failures
Some owners plan exit strategies around high demand for real estate

The closing of a popular or once-popular golf course isn’t typically celebrated, but the reality is that not every golf course is destined to live forever. In some cases, a golf course served its purpose and its remnants will reward its users equally well, or even better. For some course owners, selling is a long-planned exit strategy.
Topics: Closures, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Golf Facilities

Course Supply Leveling Out

NGF's database team has seen a significant drop in a particular supply-based area during the first half of 2021. Could this be the year golf course supply in the U.S. levels out?
Topics: Closures, Facilities, Facility Supply, General Interest, Golf Courses

Early summer play matches initial surge seen in 2020
In the first real test of the sustainability of the 2020 summer surge, June 2021 rounds were essentially equal to June of last year.
Topics: Engagement, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Participation
Troon President & CEO Tim Schantz discusses the impact of the coronavirus on the golf industry, investment and opportunity in golf, and the continued growth at Troon.
Topics: Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Interview, Interviews
The 2021 first-half momentum for golf equipment sales carries over from second half of 2020. Is it better than 2019?
Topics: Consumer Spending, Economy, Equipment, General Interest, Research
The question for April 2021 wasn’t whether rounds played would be up, it was how much they'd be up over a year ago.
Topics: Facilities, Golf Courses, Golf Facilities, Participation, Rounds Played