April play was up nationally compared to a year ago thanks to more favorable golf weather in a number of golf-rich Northern states.

The first new report of its kind in six years reveals that golf now has a direct impact of almost $102 billion on the U.S. economy, a 20% increase over 2016. Several individual states have commissioned economic impact reports as well.

While rounds on a national level are relatively level year-over-year, there’s been some significant swings based on geography… and weather.

Play on a national level was relatively stable for March 2023, a normalization for what’s been one of the most inconsistent months for U.S. rounds in recent years.

Tracking “Resurrections” – Closed Courses Get New Life

New golf course openings in the U.S. remain limited, averaging about 13 over the past decade. But the number of “new-to-you” properties in the U.S. market is considerably higher when considering renovations, reconstructions and another category: “resurrections,” or closed courses given new life.

Despite significant weather-related swings in a number of golf-rich regions, February play was down only minimally compared to a year ago.