The scorecard for 2003 course construction and closings is final, and according to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), a combination of reduced course openings (18-hole equivalent) and higher course closings result in a net gain of just 125.5 18-hole equivelent courses for the year, by far the lowest gain in the past decade. On an 18-hole equivalent basis, the nation’s total course supply remains at about 15,000 courses.
As of its January 19, 2004, Golf Project Summary Report, NGF says 370 courses are proposed, of which 96 would be 9-hole courses, and 274 would be 18-hole courses.
A total of 429 courses are in the planning stage. Of that, 136 are to be 9-hole and 293 would be 18-hole courses.
Courses under construction total 413, with 183 being 9-hole and 230 are 18-hole.
Three new 18-hole courses opened in the first few weeks of 2004.
|
U.S. COURSE SUPPLY YEAR-END 2003 |
Daily Fee | Municipal | Private | Total |
| Regulation | 7,429 | 1,972.5 | 4,150.0 | 13,551.5 |
| Executive | 505.0 | 119.0 | 105.5 | 729.5 |
| Par 3 | 375.5 | 103.5 | 67.0 | 546.0 |
| Total | 8,309.5 | 2,195.0 | 4,322.5 | 14,827.0 |
| TOP 10 STATES FOR 2003 OPENINGS | Public | Private | Total |
|
Florida |
10.0 | 5.5 | 15.5 |
| Texas | 9.5 | 4.5 | 14.0 |
| Arizona | 4.0 | 5.0 | 9.0 |
| Wisconsin | 8.0 | 1.0 | 9.0 |
| California | 4.5 | 2.5 | 7.0 |
| Minnesota | 6.0 | 1.0 | 7.0 |
| Virginia | 4.5 | 1.5 | 6.0 |
| New York | 4.5 | 1.0 | 5.5 |
| Indiana | 3.0 | 2.0 | 5.0 |
| Kentucky | 5.0 | 0.0 | 0.0 |
|
2003 GOLF COURSE YEAR-END SCORECARD (18-hole equivalents) |
|||||||||||||||
| OPENINGS | UNDER CONSTRUCTION | IN PLANNING | PROPOSED | ||||||||||||
| New | Expansion | Total | New | Expansion | Total | New | Expansion | Total | New | Expansion | Total | ||||
| Daily Fee | 78.5 | 32.5 | 111.0 | 176.5 | 52.0 | 228.5 | 239.5 | 31.0 | 270.5 | 221.5 | 29.0 | 250.5 | |||
| Municipal | 12.0 | 4.0 | 16.0 | 42.5 | 5.0 | 29.0 | 42.5 | 6.0 | 48.5 | 41.0 | 6.0 | 47.0 | |||
| Private | 34.5 | 9.5 | 44.0 | 56.5 | 13.5 | 70.0 | 51.0 | 9.0 | 60.0 | 17.0 | 8.0 | 25.0 | |||
| Total | 125.0 | 46.0 | 171.0 | 257.0 | 70.5 | 327.5 | 333.0 | 46.0 | 379.0 | 279.5 | 43.0 | 322.5 | |||
|
1993-2003 OPENINGS/CLOSINGS (18-hole equivalents) |
|||
| Open | Closed | Change | |
| 1993 | 262.5 | 20.5 | +242.0 |
| 1994 | 262.5 | 14.5 | +248.0 |
| 1995 | 336.0 | 27.0 | +309.0 |
| 1996 | 319.5 | 33.5 | +309.0 |
| 1997 | 316.0 | 31.0 | +285.0 |
| 1998 | 327.5 | 23.0 | +304.5 |
| 1999 | 375.5 | 23.0 | +352.5 |
| 2000 | 398.5 | 23.0 | +375.5 |
| 2001 | 284.0 | 24.0 | +260.0 |
| 2002 | 220.0 | 47.0 | +173.0 |
| 2003 | 171.0 | 43.5 | +127.5 |
| Total | 3,273 | 310 | +2,963 |
Explore the February 2004 Issue
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