Serious golfers who read weekly golf publications plan to spend as much or more on golf equipment in the coming year, study reveals
ORLANDO, Fla., (May 13, 2009) – A new study outlining the preferences and attitudes of today’s serious golfer was released this week, providing new insight into the habits of weekly golf publication readers. Conducted by Golf Datatech, LLC – one of the golf industry’s most respected independent market research companies – the detailed study revealed that, even amid the current recession, 63 percent of serious golfers who read weekly golf publications plan to spend as much or more on golf equipment in 2009 as they did in 2008.
In addition to noting the spending plans of these avid golfers, the 2009 Weekly Golf Publication Study also found that 60 percent of the respondents view weekly golf publications as an important part in keeping up with the game of golf. Participants also ranked equipment reviews, PGA Tour results and golf course articles among the top reasons they read weekly golf publications.
“This study is consistent with others we have conducted in that serious golfers still plan on spending money on golf even in a bad economy,” said John Krzynowek, co-founder of Golf Datatech.
The study also looked at which weekly golf publication ranks as the favorite among these passionate players as well as how serious golfers who read weekly golf publications prefer to receive their information. The findings are as follows:
Preferred weekly golf publication
• Golfweek ranked as the best at reporting on all things golf in every category listed, including those that respondents ranked as most important
• 67 percent listed Golfweek as their favorite golf weekly, making Golfweek the preferred publication by a margin of more than 2 to 1 over its closest competitor
• 72 percent read Golfweek at least once per month, making it the most frequently read weekly golf publication by serious golfers
Online vs. traditional distribution methods
• 47 percent prefer reading a weekly golf publication to getting their information online
• 13 percent receive a weekly golf publication in an online format
• 69 percent receive Golfweek in an online format, more than two times that of its closest competitor
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“This research proves that serious golfers are indeed golf’s best customer, and we are thrilled to be cited as the favorite weekly by this influential and important audience,” said Terry Olson, publisher and vice president of Golfweek. “These players are the driving force in the golf industry – playing the most rounds and consistently buying product both in good times and bad – and it is their passion for the game that ultimately ensures the future of golf.”
The March 2009 Weekly Golf Publication Study, commissioned by Golfweek as a renewal of a previous 2006 study, was created to gauge the opinions and attitudes of serious golfers. The study surveyed Golf Datatech’s sophisticated golf database of serious golfers, which today totals more than 32,000 participants. Representing the cream of the crop of golfers, the mean age of the sample is 49, and they play more than 60 rounds of golf annually. In total, this affluent and avid group of golfers has a combined mean household income of $110,000 annually, and the average respondent estimates that he/she spent close to $900 in the past year purely on golf equipment.
To view the March 2009 Weekly Golf Publication Study, visit www.Golfweek.com/DatatechWeeklyStudy.
About Golf Datatech
Golf Datatech, LLC is an independent golf market research company, established in 1995 to create accurate and timely information on retail sales. In 1998, the company extended its research into consumer attitude and usage studies, along with proprietary consumer research and strategic sales and marketing consulting. The company now offers retail reports covering sales in the United Kingdom and will add Sweden and Germany later this year.
About Golfweek
Founded in 1975, Golfweek is the most authentic, authoritative and independent name in golf. Reaching more than 1.3 million readers each week, the magazine delivers the most complete news and information about the game, the people and the lifestyle to golf’s most important audience. Golfweek is part of Turnstile Publishing Company, one of the nation’s leading publishing companies specializing in high-end publications for active and affluent audiences. Turnstile Publishing Company is the parent corporation of such publications as Art Calendar, TurfNet Monthly, The Seminole Voice and The Winter Park/Maitland Observer, as well as the Web sites ArtCalendar.com, ArtScuttlebutt.com, TurfNet.com, SeminoleVoice.com, WPMObserver.com, GolfweekHomes.com and Golfweek.com, which features golf’s first online television network, GolfweekTV. Founded in 1990, Turnstile Publishing Company is headquartered in Orlando, Fla., and is also affiliated with Skyhorse Publishing.
Contact:
Elizabeth Hawkins, Marketing Director
407.563.7006
EHawkins@Golfweek.com
