During January and February, the National Golf Foundation conducted a survey of U.S. golf facilities to collect rounds and revenue data to compare 2003 with 2002. About 1,850 facilities responded—150 are nine-hole courses, 270 are 27-or-more-hole courses and 1,430 are 18-hole courses. About 1,180 are public and 670 are private.
Revenue, including rounds, food and beverage and merchandise, at private clubs are highest, followed by premium, standard and value public courses.
Generally, revenue correlates with rounds by region. For example, rounds decreased 6 percent throughout the Northeast from 2002 to 2003. For the same period, total revenues declined 3 percent at premium public courses, 7.2 percent at standard public courses, 13.3 percent at value public courses and 0.2 percent at private courses.
Where rounds declined because of severe weather, in some cases, revenue per round increased. For example, rounds declined 13 percent throughout the Mid Atlantic, but at private clubs, total revenue per round increased 17 percent because members continue paying dues but can’t play as much golf. At public courses, where rounds decreased but revenue per round increased, the reason appears to be slight increases of green fees. GCN
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