Jupiter, Fla. – Rounds played in the U.S. were up 11.3% on a same-store basis in March 2007 vs. March 2006. March’s better performance brought the first quarter figure to -4.0%. The large drop in March in the Northeast was due in part to about three fewer play days on average, as reported by operators. Conversely, the large increase in the Southwest was due in part to more than three extra play days in the month of March vs. last year.
Rounds Played, 2007 vs. 2006
Source: NGF/Allied Golf Associations
March
Year-to-date
Total U.S. facilities
11.3%
-4.0%
Private Clubs
6.0%
-4.9%
Total Public Courses
12.6%
-3.7%
Premium
6.4%
-0.9%
Standard
7.8%
-3.5%
Value
16.2%
-4.5%
1 Northeast
-38.2%
-30.4%
2 Mid-Atlantic
0.8%
-17.9%
3 Southeast
4.6%
-1.3%
4 Central/South Florida
-0.2%
-1.0%
5 Gulf Coast
-0.7%
-6.6%
6 South Central
8.9%
-14.2%
7 Lower Midwest
27.6%
-15.9%
8 Upper Midwest
66.6%
43.3%
9 Mountain
73.3%
8.0%
10 Southwest
21.7%
5.0%
11 Northwest
19.5%
7.3%
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 mission of the National Golf Foundation, founded in 1936, is to help golf businesses succeed by providing marketing, research and other consulting services. Based in Jupiter, Fla., the NGF serves many constituencies in the golf industry, including equipment manufacturers; builders and developers; facilities and practice 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
800-733-6006 ext. 1624
