Golf by the Numbers

What really fuels the golf market and keeps courses up and running? Pro's? Scratch golfers? Avid golfers? The answer is quite simple - the average or moderate golfer. If there are 27 million or so golfer's in the U.S. and less than 1% are pro or scratch golfers, count them out.

Ironically, a lot of pro's who can afford the game rarely pay for it or get great deals. As for avid golfers (25+ rounds per year), they only account for roughly 3-5% of the market, which leaves the average and beginners (less than 7 rounds per year).

The average golfer is statistically a mid to upper-mid working class person playing around 20 rounds a year. Funny thing is if it wasn't for this demographic, 80% of golf courses would probably shut their doors. Here's a reality check: average golfers use more golf balls, period. They or we go through 3-5 balls (or more) a round.

Let's do the math; say an average golf ball costs $1.00 times 4 balls a round times 20 rounds a year. That comes out to $80 dollars in golf balls per average golfer per season. Now multiply that times the roughly 20 million average golfers and there you have 1.6 billion dollars spent a year on golf balls. Sounds crazy, huh...how about those greens fees?

These numbers represent a driving but unheard voice in the golf community. We can take these stats and apply them to other commodities in the golf industry like clubs, apparel and accessories and get a good idea of the revenue we spill into this game we love.

What's in store for the future? I guess only time will tell...but as long as average golfers keep losing balls on the course, the golf economy will continue to drive forward...

Hit'em long...yell FORE!!! Love your balls.

Read more »

Golfstinks' Top Posts (thus far) of 2010

Can you believe half of 2010 is already gone? Man time flies! Anyway, twice a year, we here at Golfstinks like to recap some of our most popular blog posts of the previous six months. Being that tomorrow is July 1, it's time for our mid-year review!

Below are the top 10 posts from the first half of this year, ranked by page hits. If you're new to the Golfstinks blog, perusing through these will give you a good idea of what we're all about; And for those of you who already crack a sly smile whenever you hear the phrase "golf stinks"...enjoy reading them all over again!

Here we go...

#10: Ten Sure-Fire Signs You're In for a Long Afternoon on the Golf Course - Stinky Golfer Greg points out observations that should make you think twice about teeing off that day!






#9: The Lazy Person's Ideal Golf Course - Stinky Golfer Pete envisions a technically advanced golf cart that will take golf into the future while driving humanity into the past!




#8: Open Letter/Pitch to the Golf Channel - Stinky Golfer Chris offers the Golf Channel a new show idea to help add some flare to their mundane programming.




#7: Did Someone Say Golf is Supposed to be Fun? - Stinky Golfer Chris reflects back on some of his more memorable golf moments.






#6: Variations on the Game of Golf: Disc Golf - As part of his ongoing series on golf spinoffs, Stinky Golfer Chris examines the unique and popular idea of playing golf with a Frisbee.




#5: Can I Get A Ruling? - This is one of the more bizarre things we've heard of happening on the course...and Stinky Golfer Pete was there to witness it!








#4: The Most Versatile Athlete of All Time was...A Golfer? - Stinky Golfer Chris highlights the extraordinary life of Babe Didrikson Zaharias.








#3: Would You Play A Brown Golf Course? - Stinky Golfer Greg explores the practice of overseeding; why it's declining; and why it's OK to play on a course that's not necessarily green.








#2: The Economics of Golf - In this eye-opening breakdown of golf's contribution to the U.S. economy, Stinky Golfer Greg examines a study that shows how and where the golf industry makes its money...and you may be surprised!





#1: Is USGA Membership Worth It? - After years of trashing his annual membership form, Stinky Golfer Greg explains why 2010 may be the year he finally joins the USGA!

Read more »

The Golf Channel's Newest Offering is Really Nothing New

It can be argued in many different ways, but the simple fact is, golf is NOT a growing sport. The statistics show it. Even though there are currently about 450 more courses in the U.S. than existed in the year 2000, over the past several years, more courses have closed than opened. What's more alarming is, despite these additional 450 courses, fewer rounds are being played every year.

According to reports from the National Golf Foundation, 2009 marked the fourth consecutive year in which total rounds of golf decreased from the previous year. As a matter of fact, it was the eighth year out of the past nine in which a decrease was shown. In 2000, roughly 518.4 million rounds of golf were played in the U.S. But by 2009, that number had dropped to 481.5. That's almost 37 million fewer rounds (a little over 7%) per year. So where is this growth?

Yeah, you can blame some of it on the economy. But that's really only that past two years. What about the seven years previous? That is another topic which can be debated. But I have my opinions - several of them (greens fees continuing to rise, cost of equipment, etc...). But right at the top of the list is simply the old golf stereotype - it's a rich man's game. For too many golfers in the new generation, as well as your average weekend hack, this decreases their overall interest. They see the game as too expensive and too serious. What they don't see, and are sometimes never introduced to, is simply the fun of the game. But what is the golf industry in general doing to fix this? Apparently, nothing.

Example, The Golf Channel's latest offering - Donald Trump's Fabulous World of Golf. In a time where interest in the sport continues to decrease, the belief in the stereotype continues to rise, the biggest star in the game has lost some of his shine, golf courses are closing and people aren't playing because they can't afford to play...The Golf Channel gives us...Donald Trump.

As if we haven't seen enough already, this show gives us more celebrities, more excess and more outrageously priced and/or private courses. Yeah, just what the sport needs right now. Fuel the stereotype why don't ya? Do the good people at The Golf Channel think this is helping? Are they in the dark and don't understand this is not what the sport needs? Maybe they don't care and they're just hoping for ratings.

Speaking of ratings, one of the funniest things I had seen and heard was on a promo video on the show's website. If you can find it, there was a clip of The Donald sarcastically stating this show was going to raise The Golf Channel's ratings. Isn't that great? Even The Donald knows this channel needs help!

See, we've said it before, and we'll continue to say it. This sport needs a shot in the arm. It needs a change. It needs to make itself relate to the average guy and girl who play the sport for no reason other than the fun of the game. It does NOT need more celebrities. It does NOT need to promote more private courses. It does NOT need to promote more rich guys playing the game in a place 99.9% of us (if not more) will never see.

As entertaining as I occasionally find him to be....the sport does NOT need Donald Trump right now.

Read more »