Jupiter, Fla. – Rounds played in the U.S. were up nearly 10% in the first quarter of 2006 vs. the same period last year. Same-store rounds were up 3.1% in the month of March, the third consecutive month in positive territory. In regions where a lot of golf is played in the winter months – Central/South Florida, the Southwest, etc. – rounds were up between three and nine percent over 2005 performance. Data is based on survey responses from 1,835 golf facilities across the country.
Rounds Played, 2006 vs. 2005
Source: NGF/Allied Golf Associations
March
Year-to-date
Total U.S. facilities
3.1%
9.9%
Private Clubs
7.3%
8.5%
Total Public Courses
2.0%
10.2%
Public Courses:
Premium
0.9%
4.6%
Standard
9.1%
11.5%
Value
-0.3%
10.9%
1 Northeast
149.0%
137.0%
2 Mid-Atlantic
37.2%
38.1%
3 Southeast
16.5%
9.3%
4 Central/South Florida
9.4%
4.2%
5 Gulf Coast
8.5%
9.1%
6 South Central
-9.4%
3.4%
7 Lower Midwest
-3.8%
34.8%
8 Upper Midwest
58.2%
79.5%
9 Mountain
-22.4%
-10.6%
10 Southwest
-13.7%
4.0%
11 Northwest
-20.5%
-24.5%
Public facilities fall into one of three categories based on peak season weekend green fees with cart:
Premium (High) – Above $70
Standard (Middle) – $40-$70
Value (Low) – Below $40
Region 10 includes Hawaii; Region 11 includes Alaska.
About the NGF
The National Golf Foundation, founded in 1936, is the industry leader in providing accurate information and insights on the business of golf. Based in Jupiter, Fla., the NGF serves many constituencies in the golf industry including equipment manufacturers; builders and developers; facilities and ranges; course architects; retailers; turf maintenance suppliers; golf associations and the media. For more information, visit www.ngf.org.
Contact:
Jim Kass
jkass@ngf.org
561-744-6006
