Golf Datatech, a subsidiary of Circana, reported that golf rounds played in the U.S. increased 3.6 percent in September and are ahead by 1.7 percent in the first nine months of 2024.

By region for the month, the most significant gains were in New England, where rounds played jumped 18.5 percent and the Mid-Atlantic, 16.0 percent.

Other areas that showed play increases included East North Central, 6.1 percent; West North Central, 4.4 percent; Mountain, 4.1 percent; and Pacific, 0.7 percent.

The only declining region was South Central, down 2.0 percent.

In the year-to-date period, the Mountain region had the biggest gain in golf rounds played, up 5.3 percent, followed by East North Central, 4.2 percent; New England, 3.9 percent; Pacific, 3.0 percent; West North Central, 2.8 percent; and Mid-Atlantic, 2.1 percent.

Declining regions included South Central, off 0.2 percent and South Atlantic, 3.1 percent.

September’s 3.6 percent gain builds on August’s 1.9 percent increase. Rounds slid 1.4 percent in July, were up 1.2 percent in June, down 0.8 percent in May, up 0.8 percent in April, jumped 21.2 percent in March, and advanced 4.9 percent in February.

Golf rounds declined 16.6 percent in January as rain impacted play in several regions nationwide.

Image courtesy Spruce Peak