According to the National Golf Foundation, May rounds were down 3.2% nationwide on a same-store basis, breaking a streak of four months during which rounds were in positive territory. Nevertheless, rounds are up 4.5% for the first five months of 2006 versus YTD last year.

The largest percentage drop in May occurred in the Northeast region, which was down 8.7%. This weakness can be easily attributed to the wet month experienced in the region, particularly in Massachusetts and New Hampshire, both of which experienced their second wettest May on record. The Northwest had the strongest monthly comp result, up 5.3%, but remains the only region down for the YTD period, off 4.6% against the same period last year.