U.S. Golf Equipment Sales For August Up Nearly 32 Percent

Golf Datatech announced that U.S. retail golf equipment sales for August 2020 were up nearly 32 percent over the same period in 2019, exceeding the previous all-time high in August 2006 by 15 percent.

In total, U.S. golf retail equipment sales for August 2020 were $331 million, compared to August 2019, which were $251 million, and the previous record year of August 2006, which were $287 million. Five equipment categories also set all-time records for August which includes balls, irons, wedges, bags, and gloves. Overall, golf bags were the best-performing equipment category in August, up 55 percent versus August 2019, while year-to-date (YTD) bag sales were up 5 percent.

“Golf Datatech started tracking golf equipment sales in 1997, and we have never seen a surge like what has happened in the summer of 2020, coming out of the worldwide shutdown from COVID-19,” said John Krzynowek, partner, Golf Datatech, LLC. “While the overall 2020 U.S. retail golf equipment market is still down 4.1 percent YTD from 2019, this spike is nothing short of remarkable considering the game, and the business of golf were shut down for a good part of the spring season.”

Krzynowek added, “The August sales record, which followed an all-time record month in July, is great news for the industry moving forward. It indicates how popular golf is today, especially as an ideal social distancing activity. Newcomers are coming into the game, existing golfers are playing much more and those who once played, but left for a while, are returning, which is the perfect combination to drive rounds played and spike equipment sales at retail.”

The August surge in U.S. retail golf equipment sales follows Golf Datatech’s recent report on July 2020 equipment sales of $388.6 million, which was also an all-time high since the company started tracking data in 1997.

The 31.9 percent gain in August comes on top of a gain of 53.4 percent in July to $388.6 million, which was also an all-time high since the company started tracking data in 1997. Sales were up 15.2 percent in June. Amid course closings early in the pandemic, sales were down 24.4 percent in May, 69.6 percent in April and 38.3 percent in March. Sales started the year up 14.8 percent in January and ahead 7.0 percent in March.

Photo courtesy Old Palm Golf Club