Pellucid reports that August’s national weather recorded the best performance of the year in a key summer month with a 15% increase in Golf Playable Hours (GPH) compared to the same period last year. This banner weather month lifted the year-to-date weather results into the positive side (but still in the statistically neutral zone) with GPH now registering a 1% increase vs. 2007.
The national significantly positive month breaks the summer doldrums which had previously tracked very similar to last year. The lone shadow over the month’s weather results is that the regional breadth ratio improved but is still negative at 1:1.9. This means that 10 regions are showing GPH gains for the year of 2% or more opposed by 19 regions with GPH decreases of 2% or more (the remaining 16 regions are in the neutral zone or +/-2%). The silver lining to that cloud is that although the breadth indicator is negative, the positive national GPH results mean the more broad unfavorable weather is happening in the lower rounds producing regions. Positive double-digit results for the month were recorded in key regions of Florida, Ohio Valley, Florida and the Desert SW while no regions experienced double digit losses for the month.
Looking back at the previously-reported July weather results vs. the recently-released industry alliance rounds played information (Golf Datatech, NGF, PGA of America and the NGCOA) shows a monthly % Utilization Rate of 52%, unchanged vs. the previous month and dead even with the 2007 national benchmark. This means that the 1% increase in rounds was commensurate to the 1% increase in GPH last month.
Pellucid President Jim Koppenhaver comments on the current results saying, “It appears to have been a much-needed banner month at the end of the critical 3-month period of Jun-Aug when the majority of the country is in high gear. Hopefully rounds will cooperate and follow suit and we’ll see a solid month’s contribution when those numbers are reported in October. The favorability appears to have been a combination of a relatively dry summer across much of the country (both compared to last year and in the absolute) as well as very temperate temps that kept key geographies from triggering our high temperature and heat index thresholds and eliminating hours from GPH. We’ll wait in eager anticipation to see how the industry fared in rounds production with a significant boost from Mother Nature.”
More detail on the results from national to individual facility level can be obtained through combinations of Pellucid’s Weather Impact Analyses: The Regional Weather Impact Tracking report, the Facility 10-year Weather Impact Trend report, the Facility Annual Weather Impact Analysis and the Facility Monthly Weather Impact Tracking report. Facility-level weather impact is now also a component of Pellucid’s Initial Facility Analysis offering which provides a 3-dimensional view of the local market health, weather impact (both recent and the benchmark 10-yr norm) and customer franchise health as a foundation for fall marketing plan refinements or upcoming annual planning.
Parties interested in understanding and quantifying what part of rounds and revenue performance is due to ”controllable” vs. ”uncontrollable” factors (i.e. course owners, lenders, buyers, sellers, equipment manufacturers, retailers and service providers) can find more information on Pellucid’s weather capabilities at www.pellucidcorp.com.
For more specific information on the Regional Weather Impact Tracking and a sample report, contact Jim Koppenhaver at jimk@pellucidcorp.com.
Contact:
Jim Koppenhaver, President, Pellucid Corp.
jimk@pellucidcorp.com
www.pellucidcorp.com
