Consumer Research:Golf jet setters

The National Golf Foundation released its “Golf Travel in the U.S.” report earlier this year. It focused on travel between 1989 and 2007.

One of the key findings is that golf travel recovered somewhat as of 2007 following a post-9/11 slump, but NGF acknowledges further research is necessary to assess the impact of the current recession on golf travel.

The report is based on an NGF survey of 1,993 golfers. The survey was conducted by Synovate, a market research company. Respondents were randomly chosen from the company’s online panel of more than 2 million Americans. Data was statistically weighted on key U.S. Census variables, such as age and income, to be nationally representative of all U.S. golfers.

Other findings include:
• In 2007, 44 percent of adult golfers, or 11.4 million people, played golf while traveling on business or vacation.
• One in 10 golfers played golf while on a business trip in 2007, while four in 10 played golf on vacation.
• Golfers played 67.8 million rounds of golf while traveling for business or pleasure in 2007, which represents approximately 14 percent of total rounds played that year.
• The incidence of golf travel increases with age and income.
• Two-thirds of travel rounds are played by golfers age 50 and older.
• The more avid golfer in terms of play frequency, the more likely they are to be a golf traveler, and the more rounds they play while traveling.
• One-third of frequent golf travelers (those playing five or more rounds a year while traveling) are private club members.

Next month: More from this study, including media habits of golf travelers.

Source: National Golf Foundation