Exclusive NGF Articles and Reports
Golf's Off-Course to On-Course Pathway
Assessing off-course impact on green grass engagement: Member Exclusive
The growth and evolution of off-course forms of golf have led to questions (and opinions) about its impact on the traditional game. Here's a closer look at that divide and the latest research into how green-grass participation, trials and interest are being affected.
Topics: Beginners, Engagement, General Interest, Golfers, Grow The Game
Midyear Momentum: Course Openings & Closures
Continued signs of equilibrium in world's best-supplied golf market
Over the past four years, the number of annual golf course closures has dropped 62%. So what does the market look like at the midway point of 2023? And how do course openings compare to recent years?
Topics: Closures, Construction, Development, Economy, Facilities
Mid-year Update: Equipment Sales
As we approach the midpoint of 2023, what has the appetite for golf clubs and golf balls been like so far this year?
Topics: Consumer Spending, Economy, Equipment, General Interest, Golf Balls
Click here to get access to free three-page report
April play was up nationally compared to a year ago thanks to more favorable golf weather in a number of golf-rich Northern states.
Topics: Facilities, Facility Operations, General Interest, Golf Courses, Golf Facilities
Click here for PDF links to the latest national and state-level golf impact reports
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.
Topics: Economic Impact, Economy, General Interest, Investment, Research
You want economic proof that golf is not just a game, but a lifestyle? Here it is.
Topics: Economic Impact, Economy, General Interest, Research
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.
Topics: Construction, Facilities, Facility Supply, General Interest, Golf Courses
An Impact Unlike Any Other
When it comes to online search activity and golf, the first week of April is indeed a time unlike any other. Thank The Masters Tournament (and the unofficial start of the golf season).
Topics: Consumer Spending, Economy, Engagement, General Interest, Golfers
Despite significant weather-related swings in a number of golf-rich regions, February play was down only minimally compared to a year ago.
Topics: Engagement, Facilities, General Interest, Golf Courses, Research
The annual tally of golf course closures in the U.S. dropped again last year. Which raises the question: Has supply and demand finally returned to a reasonably balanced state?
Topics: Facilities, Facility Supply, General Interest, Golf Courses, Research
As participation levels have increased in recent years, this particular segment has seen a 36% increase in on-course golfers since the start of the pandemic.
Topics: Engagement, General Interest, Golfers, Grow The Game, Junior Golf
Traditional, on-course golf participation in the U.S. was up again in 2022, and off-course gains were even more significant.
Topics: Engagement, General Interest, Golfers, Participation
