Q&A: Golfballs.com Founder and CEO Tom Cox
Over the past 25 years, Tom Cox has grown Golfballs.com from a startup that sold used golf balls found in lakes to a world leader in the online sale of customized golf products – most notably, new golf balls. Golfballs.com now exceeds $33 million in annual sales, with 80% of its business customized in some way.
Introducing ‘The International 25’
The ‘International 25’ is an extension of the NGF’s recognition of the top businesses and organizations in golf, further demonstrating the size and scope of the industry.
Sizing Up Golf’s $2.9 Billion Club and Ball Market
The equipment industry is the most commercially visible sector in golf, with clubs and balls accounting for an almost $2.9 billion annual market that’s driven by golf being one of the nation’s leading participation sports.
November 2019 National Rounds Played
Rounds of golf for November 2019 rose 9.8% nationally compared to a year ago, boosting the year-to-date figure to +1.3%.
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Golfers
Breaking Down Barriers to Golf Participation
The biggest obstacles to golf participation remain cost, time, concern about ability and a lack of people to play with. Here’s what some facility operators are doing to break down participation barriers.
Measuring Golfer Dedication
Customer satisfaction, the likelihood to recommend and the likelihood to return are the three pillars of customer loyalty research. They’re also the key components to the NGF’s new Golfer Dedication measure, which was introduced as a way to quantify the commitment of golf’s customers.
Golf Participation Shows Positive Trends
The NGF’s annual Participation Report provides the latest data on golfers both on and off the course, including detailed information on segments such as beginners, women, non-Caucasian, juniors and a closer look at the growing pool of non-golfers who say they’re very interested in playing the game now.
Golf Courses
Nine New Golf Courses from 2019
While investment in the U.S. golf market is focused almost entirely on golf course renovations and restorations, a limited number of new courses are being built. Here’s a closer look at some layouts that debuted in 2019.
Golf Under the Lights
NGF research shows that 50% of golfers express some interest in playing golf at night. Could a lighted course be an option for some operators?
Not All Golf Course Closures Are Failures
The closing of a popular or once-popular golf course isn’t typically celebrated, but the reality is that not every golf course is destined to live forever. In some cases, a golf course served its purpose and its remnants will reward its users equally well, or even better. For some course owners, selling is a long-planned exit strategy.
General Interest
Bringing Winter Sports to the Golf Course
Winter means the end of golf season in a large swath of the country. But courses in the regions that see snow and frigid temperatures don’t all go unoccupied during cold months. See why.
Is CBD Gaining a Foothold in Golf Retail?
Given the challenges that golf presents, it’s no wonder that many CBD companies are aggressively pushing into what they see as a bountiful market. Golfers seem the ideal demographic for the product. So what are golf retailers seeing?
Destination Golf
In an era when land is becoming increasingly valuable near major metropolitan centers, many golfers are eager to get off the beaten path to find great golf. Here’s a look at how some of these destination properties have found success.
NGF News & Reports
NGF’s 2019 Golf Facilities Report
The NGF’s annual Facilities Report provides a comprehensive overview of golf facility supply in the U.S., the world’s best-supplied golf market.
NGF’s 2019 Golf Industry Report Overview
The NGF’s annual Golf Industry Report consolidates many of the game’s key metrics, from participation to course supply, providing a holistic view of golf’s health and vitality.
NGF’s Rounds-Played Summary for 2018
The National Rounds Played Summary provides an overview of the total number of rounds of golf played throughout the U.S. in 2018.
