General Interest
Off-Course Golf: How Big Can It Get?
The number of off-course golf participants and off-course venues continues to grow, from golf entertainment facilities like Topgolf, Drive Shack and BigShots to commercial simulator locations popping up around the country. So, how big can the off-course golf market get?
A Different Kind of Birdie Pursuit
As Troon’s manager of environmental science, Brianne Kenny has brought non-golfers with a negative perception of golf to the course, and turned around their notions about the game. Her efforts, and similar ones around the country, seek to address some existing misconceptions about the game’s environmental and ecological impact.
Retirees Save the Day for These Course Maintenance Staffs
While the age 60-and-over set has traditionally served as starters or marshals at the golf course, this demographic is filling a vital maintenance need for part-time and seasonal work at facilities in the Midwest and beyond.
How Golf is Helping Hurricane Relief Efforts in the Bahamas
While golf is an afterthought during a humanitarian crisis, the game plays a vital role in the Bahamas, where more than 60 percent of the gross domestic product is dependent on tourism, the most of any Caribbean nation. And several prominent companies within the golf business are helping deliver financial support through their Abaco 501(c)3 charities to provide relief for the people of the northern Bahamas. Pro golfers are also stepping up to lend support and here’s how you can help as well.
Youth Caddie Academies – A Growing Niche
In an era when most teenagers would rather pick up a phone than a golf bag, youth caddying has been fighting to stay as relevant as it was in years past. However, organizations like the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, Youth on Course Caddie Academy and the Western Golf Association’s Carry the Game advocacy group are helping to put more bags on more shoulders every year.
Motor City Magic
The story of public golf in Detroit hasn’t been so rosy in recent years, but three area courses are rewriting their history. At Rackham, Chandler and Rouge Park, revenue is up 27% since last year. Here are some reasons why.
Golf’s Online Economy
The Internet is changing sales tactics everywhere and as Amazon becomes a bigger force in retail, it is affecting nearly every vertical and category — golf included.
Off-Course Specialty Retail Report Is Released
NGF’s annual update on off-course golf retail store supply tracks the changes in number of doors and square footage of regional/independent and national retailers.
NGF Research Snapshot: Fantasy Golf
While fantasy leagues and pools aren’t as common for golf as they are for football, they continue to gain popularity — both among golfers and non-golfers. Here’s a look at how many Americans made golf picks last year.
Isao Aoki on the State of Japanese Golf
Japan’s global golf ambassador, Isao Aoki attended the NGF’s Golf Business Symposium to share an insider’s look on the state of the game and the business of golf in Japan.