Click image to view the full July 2018 National Rounds Played Report
It’s never great news to hear that rounds are down, yet July is a month where many in the business can be thankful that Mother Nature didn’t affect rounds more dramatically (in the wrong direction).
Rounds-played for July were down 1.6% nationally despite increases in precipitation in many regions of the country. Because monthly rounds in July were down less than the prior year-to-date figure, the national year-to-date total improved yet again to -2.9% through July (compared to -3.3% through June).
The weather appears to have negatively affected rounds in most of the coastal states in the East as well as the states along the Pacific coastline. Rounds from South Carolina to New York were down on the order of 2% to 10% in July. The Pacific region, consisting of states from Hawaii in the South Pacific to Washington in the Pacific Northwest, experienced more than three times the amount of precipitation compared to a year ago; this affected rounds in the region to the tune of -5.6% for the month.
Rounds in July increased in the West North Central and New England regions, even with double-digit (20%+) increases in precipitation. Golfers in those regions either found windows to play in-between showers or donned their rain gear to brave the conditions.
Like June and July, August is another high-volume month for rounds and thus will have a meaningful bearing on the annual outcome. Stay tuned.
