UK-based market research firm Sporting Insights reported that after a sluggish start to the year, 2023 golf rounds played across Great Britain remained clear of pre-pandemic numbers—the latest sign that “golf’s pandemic participation boom has reset the baseline appetite for the game.”
Sporting Insights noted that January was the only month of the first nine months of 2023 that saw a dip against 2019 figures, while the remainder of the year has, so far, seen 2023 track, and often exceeded, the “booming totals” seen outside lockdowns during the period 2020/22.
September was the quarter’s strongest performing month, against 2022 (+10 percent) and 2019 (+55 percent).
Quarterly rounds of golf played across the UK were reportedly up 5 percent compared to Q3 2022, pushing the year-to-date (YTD) total 3 percent ahead of 2022.
The YTD average of 2,910 rounds played per course per month means consumers played 646 more golf rounds per course per month or an extra 21 more golfers per day, on average.
Since 2000, Sporting Insights has tracked golf rounds played at commercial golf courses across the UK. For the full report or more data, contact Richard Payne, Managing Director at Sporting Insights, here.
Photo courtesy Sporting Insights
