Exclusive NGF Articles and Reports
Peak season play saw a slight increase for second straight month
July rounds continued June's momentum, with a slight increase even over the record-setting pace of 2021
8 best practices to help your business
The past several years have been generally very positive for golf operators, thanks to the "Covid boom." But how should we be improving the customer experience to ensure we're prepared and positioned for the future?
What is golf's pandemic dividend?
With the June 2022 national rounds report out, we now have a full 24 months of supporting data since golfers have been unencumbered by pandemic restrictions. Here's a closer look:
The midway point for rounds follows one of the highest-volume months of the year
June rounds saw a slight YOY uptick after three months of declines in national play
Equipment Market Remains Strong Midway Through '22
Member look: Golf club & ball shipments up significantly compared to pre-pandemic
Golf Course Closures Still Trending Downward
Member report: Closures on pace for lowest total in 17 years
The ongoing correction in the world's richest golf market began in 2006 after an unprecedented, and unsustainable, 20-year golf course building boom. The recent slowdown in closures may indicate the market is moving closer to equilibrium.
How Does 2022 Rounds Momentum Compare to Pre-Covid?
A member-only look at rounds comparisons to previous years
In assessing play levels, it can be helpful to look beyond year-over-year comparisons. Here's how May 2022 stacks up against recent years just before the pandemic-driven play surges.
A year ago, May rounds were +18% across the U.S.
Rounds of golf were down slightly, again, on a nationwide level in May. How did they compare to 2021?
Like other aspects of golf, mini golf is evolving – with new forms and concepts
As new golf entertainment versions of mini golf crop up, with investment from prominent names like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, it leads to inevitable questions about the impact these kinds of 'golf' experiences might have on interest in playing on a real golf course.
Less favorable weather in several notable regions hampers early-season play
April rounds were down on a national level, but in several well-supplied regions it’s a change that operators attribute largely to unfavorable golf weather.
Cooler, wetter weather takes toll in several key regions
April play follows March's trajectory, with the third year-over-year decline through the first four months of 2022.
U.S. Golf Facility Investments Total Nearly $1.8B Annually
Spend is almost split between public and private, but share is not
Beyond the exciting (but limited) number of new golf courses we read about, the real industry investment is in upgrades, improvements, renovations and restorations at existing facilities. And it's significant.
