Exclusive NGF Articles and Reports
2021 Play Looks to Finish on December Upswing
NGF member-only rounds analysis

What do early returns on December's nationwide play show after the final month of 2020 had a 37% jump?

October rounds-played almost matched the late-season surges seen in 2020, as total play remains up year-over-year.
What it is, Why it's important for golf, and How it works
Welcome2Golf is NGF’s effort to introduce adult non-golfers to the game of golf and improve the beginner experience to convert more newcomers into committed golfers. After all, almost 75% of the record 3 million+ beginners each of the past two years are 18 or older.
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.

How 2021 Rounds Compare to 2020 Entering Q4

It's likely year-over-year play will continue to be down in the final months of the year, but it's important to keep these declines in proper perspective.

September 2021 rounds dipped after a 25% gain a year ago, as expected, but how much were they off the 2020 pace?
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.”

Among the developments in golf over the past year-and-a-half or so, the evolving narrative surrounding the game has been particularly interesting to follow. Especially when it comes to outlets that don't follow golf regularly. Perceptions of the game have also been improving.
August Rounds and Pre-Covid Comparisons
NGF Member Bulletin

Given the surge in rounds played in the second half of last year, our expectation has been that play this year in Q3 and Q4 would fall somewhere between 2020 and prior year averages. This was the case in July and now again in August.

Playing the Right Tees
Member-Only Core Golfer Survey Findings and Operator Feedback

Not only is a higher-than-expected percentage of golfers playing tees that are too long for them, many realize they should be playing up, but aren't. Here's what the latest findings say.

August rounds were slightly down nationwide compared to last year’s summer surges, as expected. See how much of a decline there was from 2020.