Consumer Research:Women's watch

Women's Watch

The independent Women’s Golf Market Study details a range of attitudes of serious women golfers about the game, equipment and apparel they wear. Golf Datatech, an independent research firm, conducted the study.

More than 1,000 female serious golfers (those playing a minimum of 12 rounds per year) participated in the survey, which was conducted in November 2008. A majority of female respondents live active lifestyles and have an average household income of six figures. Key findings are:

Golfing habits
• Respondents were asked what they enjoy about playing the game – 91 percent said they like being outdoors, 82 percent enjoy the time with friends, 80 percent are always trying to improve, and 79 percent enjoy the game’s challenge.
• When asked to identify the factor they enjoy best about playing the game, 32 percent chose the game’s challenge as their primary motivation, and 18 percent said being with friends is most important.
• One in three say playing the game costs too much, and almost half said they’d be likely to play more golf if it cost less.
• 21 percent disliked that a round of golf takes too long to play; 40 percent are constrained by limited leisure time; and 31 percent work too much to play as much as they’d like.

Spending on golf
• The average respondent estimates she spent slightly less than $700 during the past year on golf equipment, and 18 percent said they spent more than $1,000. Respondents estimate they spend an additional $515 on golf apparel; 14 percent spend above $1,000; and 74 percent believe technology in club designs can improve their play significantly.

Media habits
• 55 percent said they watch golf or golf-related programming on TV at least once a week; 14 percent watch golf three to four times a month. Of those who watch golf or golf-related programming on TV, 94 percent said they frequently watch the PGA Tour, and 80 percent watch the LPGA.
• 94 percent use the Internet to look at golf-related Web sites, and 80 percent use it 25 percent of the time or less to look for golf-related content. Among those who use the Internet to gather information about golf and golf-related products, 58 percent use it to gain information about golf courses and/or for directions, 55 percent get golf equipment pricing, 50 percent check on equipment specs, 49 percent obtain weather information as it relates to golf, and 42 percent use the Internet to make tee times.
• Among those who are members of at least one online community, 45 percent are members of Facebook, 34 percent use LinkedIn, 22 percent are on MySpace and 15 percent use YouTube.

“While more than 50 percent of the U.S. population is female, less than 25 percent of total golfers are women,” says Tom Stine, partner of Golf Datatech.
“Combine the cost, time and family pressures with their overall perception of the male orientation at the golf course, and it’s not surprising women leave the game as often as they enter. This is the basis for the women’s golf population to be at a near standstill.”

Source: Golf Datatech