GOLF BOOM SHOWS NO SIGN OF SLOWING – Golf News

New golf participation information for the third quarter of 2023 within the UK has revealed that extra rounds of golf have been performed between July and September than in any earlier 12 months aside from 2020.

After a sluggish begin to the 12 months, primarily brought on by dangerous climate, rounds performed throughout the UK stay effectively above pre-pandemic numbers, within the newest signal that golf’s pandemic participation growth has reset the baseline urge for food for the sport.

In accordance with a report issued by Sporting Insights, solely January of the primary 9 months of the 12 months noticed a dip in opposition to 2019 figures, whereas the rest of the 12 months has thus far seen 2023 monitor and sometimes exceed the totals seen exterior lockdowns in the course of the interval 2020-2022.

September was the quarter’s strongest performing month, each in opposition to 2022 (up 10%) and in opposition to 2019 (up 55%).

MORE ROUNDS BEING PLAYED

The year-to-date common of two,910 rounds performed per course monthly means there are 646 extra rounds per course monthly being performed – or an additional of 21 extra folks per day.

The report means that initiatives resembling iGolf, Openplay and Flexigolf schemes for unbiased golfers in England, Scotland and Wales have been taking part in a big position in offering routes for non-members and newer golfers to trace enchancment and entry aggressive golf, serving to these folks to remain within the recreation.

BIG CHANGE IN AFTERNOON ROUNDS

BRS Golf, golf’s main supplier of tee time administration reserving know-how, report a powerful first half of 2023 for each member play and customer play within the UK and Eire, with extra rounds performed thus far this 12 months than in the entire of 2019.

One other massive change in golf participation because the pandemic has additionally been the noticeable shift within the patterns of play, with video games performed from noon onwards representing 60% of all rounds, up for

50% in 2019, whereas the variety of rounds performed on weekdays has gone as much as 59%, in comparison with 56% 4 years in the past. Each figures replicate a change in work patterns, with extra folks working from house or working versatile working hours, which allow them to clock off early to play golf throughout instances that have been as soon as thought-about ‘workplace hours’.