3-Minute Business Insights
Golfers aren’t just playing more, they’re also spending more time at golf facilities in general. As golf courses continue to position themselves as destinations beyond on-course golf – from practice and retail offerings to additional amenities and broader food & beverage offerings – the average length of stay has increased significantly compared to the pre-Covid era.
Greg Nathan sits down with Golf Inc. for an in-depth industry Q&A, discussing health metrics, growth opportunities, the sustainability of golf's resurgence, emerging technologies and more.
Member Presentation: Understanding Golf’s Hidden Phone Costs
NGF research shows the majority of golf course operators are aware of the opportunity cost of 6 million phone hours, but only a small percentage have actually implemented technology solutions to minimize waste, with a fraction more exploring their options. This gap points to a competitive advantage opportunity for operators willing to act.
The NGF’s Top 100 Businesses in Golf is a platform intended to highlight the vitality, size and diversity of an industry that has more than a $100 billion annual impact within the U.S.
Examining the Simulator/Screen Golf Market
Member-only research on demographics, frequency of use, and locations
Whether commercial or residential, home simulator usage and supply is on the upswing. And while participation in off-course golf activities is found to generally increase golfers’ engagement with the traditional game, simulator golf might be the best evidence of this relationship.
Simulator Golf Sees Real Surge
While traditional golf participation has continued to climb in recent years, engagement has been even more pronounced away from the course – and that includes screen and simulated growth. Gains in this growing sector, among both participants and availability, are even more significant since the start of the pandemic.
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).
New On-Ramps Help Boost Golf Participation
Proliferation of off-course golf is a factor in on-course growth
Looking broadly at the game’s evolution and its overall participant base, the total number of on- and off-course golfers in the U.S. has risen to record levels because of the emergence and continued growth of non-traditional forms of the game.
Like other aspects of golf, mini golf is evolving – with new forms and concepts
As new golf entertainment versions of mini golf crop up, with investment from prominent names like Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy, it leads to inevitable questions about the impact these kinds of 'golf' experiences might have on interest in playing on a real golf course.
More than three-quarters of Core golfers have at least one golf-specific app on their phone, a figure that's risen steadily over the past decade. It speaks to the evolution of golf as well as the effort to enhance the golf experience for an ever-connected segment of consumers.
