February 2019
Mike McCarley – President, GOLF, NBC Sports Group
Mike McCarley, who oversees all of NBC Sports’ golf-related businesses and content, talks about golf ratings, the impact of Tiger Woods’ return on television and the game overall, the future of streaming golf coverage, and the public appetite for the sport.
One Hole at a Time
One of the oft-repeated problems affecting participation is the time it takes to play. A number of companies have introduced systems that allow golfers to pay by the hole. It’s a way for golfers to potentially squeeze in some golf when they have a window. For facilities, it’s a chance to boost incremental revenue. So, are these “solutions” gaining traction?
R&A’s Golf Around the World Report
There are almost 39,000 golf courses worldwide, with a global reach into 209 of the world’s 249 countries, according to the “Golf Around the World” report published by the R&A and based on NGF research.
December 2018 National Rounds Played
Rounds of golf for December 2018 were down 7.7% nationally compared to the previous December. For the full year, play was down 4.8% overall from 2017.
