Exclusive NGF Articles and Reports
Full Shots
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
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.
Topics: Engagement, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Golfers
September 2021 rounds dipped after a 25% gain a year ago, as expected, but how much were they off the 2020 pace?
Topics: Engagement, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Participation
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
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.
Topics: Engagement, General Interest, Image Of The Game, Marketing, Media
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.
Topics: Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Participation, Research
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.
Topics: Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Golfers, Research
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.
Topics: Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Participation, Research
July Rounds Down Slightly, as Expected
NGF Member Bulletin
While July rounds were down year-over-year, play is still trending closer to 2020's 'surge' levels than prior, pre-pandemic years.
Topics: Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Participation, Rounds Played
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
A Deeper Look Inside the Supply of Par 3 Layouts in the U.S.
Del Ratcliffe fully appreciates the benefits of a Par 3 golf course. He grew up playing one his father built in 1960 on a farm about 10 to 15 miles outside of downtown Charlotte. Today, Ratcliffe owns or operates five facilities in the Charlotte area – four of which feature a Par 3 layout of some fashion. Nationwide, all but one state in the U.S. has a par 3 golf course.
Topics: Engagement, Facilities, Facility Operations, Facility Supply, Golf Courses
