Exclusive NGF Articles and Reports

Golf Under the Lights
NGF research shows that 50% of golfers express some interest in playing golf at night. Could a lighted course be an option for some operators?
Topics: Course Owners, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Management
Golf Under the Lights
Pandemic Impact on Golf Facility Staffing
Topics: Course Owners, Economy, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses
Pandemic Impact on Golf Facility Staffing
January 2021 Rounds Played Summary
Golf's on-course momentum from 2020 carried into 2021. Here's a look at how much play was up nationwide in the first month of the year.
Topics: Golf Courses, Golf Facilities, Participation, Rounds Played
January 2021 Rounds Played Summary
A BIG Drop in Golf Course Closures
There was a 31% decline in 18HEQ course closures in 2020, the largest drop on record. Could golf be approaching the end of its 15-year market correction?
Topics: Closures, Course Closures, Facilities, Facility Supply, General Interest
A BIG Drop in Golf Course Closures
Who Wants In?
The flood of new faces on U.S. golf courses in 2020 was noteworthy, even if some gains were offset. Who were these new people? And who wanted “in” last year?
Topics: Beginners, Engagement, General Interest, Golf Courses, Golfers
Who Wants In?
Golf's KPIs for 2020
After the coronavirus struck in 2020, spring shutdowns gave way to an unprecedented summer and fall in terms of play, golfer introductions and reintroductions, and robust, late-season spending.
Topics: Consumer Spending, Engagement, Facilities, General Interest, Golf Courses
Golf's KPIs for 2020
November 2020 Rounds Played Report
November rounds of golf were up almost 57% nationally over a year ago, continuing an upward trend since coronavirus restrictions on golf operations were lifted.
Topics: Engagement, Golf Courses, Golfers, Rounds Played
November 2020 Rounds Played Report
Record-Setting Rounds for 2020? Not Quite
October rounds played came in 32% higher than last year, according to Golf Datatech, raising the national year-to-date figure to +10.8%. Several multi-course operators we checked with recently told us that the surge in play continued in November, putting us on track for an annual increase of somewhere around 50 million rounds over 2019. Pretty amazing.
Topics: Golf Courses, Participation, Rounds Played
Record-Setting Rounds for 2020? Not Quite
October 2020 National Rounds Played Report
October rounds were up 32.2% nationally year-over-year, another record-setting increase for 2020 play.
Topics: Engagement, Facilities, Golf Courses, Golfers, Research
October 2020 National Rounds Played Report
September 2020 National Rounds Played Report
September rounds played continued the summer momentum nationwide.
Topics: Consumer Spending, Engagement, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses
September 2020 National Rounds Played Report
U.S. Facility Financial Health Update
In 2009 and 2016, roughly a quarter of U.S. public golf courses admitted to being in bad shape, financially. Here's where things stand now, public and private.
Topics: Closures, Economy, Facilities, Facility Operations, General Interest
U.S. Facility Financial Health Update
August 2020 National Rounds Played Report
Closing out the summer of 2020, August rounds played set a new standard for the biggest increase in a peak season month.
Topics: Engagement, Facilities, Facility Operations, Golf Courses, Golfers
August 2020 National Rounds Played Report

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Golf as Life
Let me introduce myself—I’m Mike Klemme. You may not recognize my name, but if you’ve ever flipped through a golf magazine, visited a course, or…
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Ship Sticks
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Amanda Fontaine
Raking bunkers on a golf course was literally child’s play for Amanda Fontaine. Today, it’s part of her job as IGM’s Golf Course Superintendent at…
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