Page 29 - GBC Spring 2022 ENG

RESEARCH REPORTS
2021 ... Canada’s Best Golf Season, Ever?
Golf is safe! It is played with friends, outside in the fresh air, while walking 10-20 kms through 150 acres of nature with no more than three others who have no problem maintaining the two metres of social distancing at all times. Golf is exactly what is needed throughout the COVID-19 pandemic!
Golf is also fun, physical, challenging and competitive. It allows you to compete against the course, the conditions, and even your fellow golfers. But, golf is so much more than that ... it is also a stress releaser, it improves your mood, decreases risk of depression, and increases your social wellbeing while safely interacting with others. It is for those reasons, and many more, that golf has seen a huge explosion in popularity over the past two golf seasons.
That led us to wonder, was the 2021 Canadian Golf Season the BEST EVER? The NGCOA Canada surveyed golf courses across the country in December 2021 asking for their input on how rounds played this season compared to their BEST season on record, and the results were truly impressive.
60% of the responses came from owner/operators who have been at their facility for at least 10 years (with many indicating over 30 years) and indicated the BEST SEASON for rounds played at their facility (prior to the COVID-19 pandemic / i.e., not including 2020 nor 2021) was overwhelmingly 2019 with 23% of the responses. The next best was 2016 with 9%, followed by 2007 with 6%, and 9% indicating that their facility’s best year was at some point before 1999 (aka the start of The Tiger Boom).
More importantly, when asked how rounds played in 2021 compared to their facility’s previous best year the responses were remarkable. Only 17% surveyed responded that 2021 was LOWER than the best year; 6% indicated it was SAME as their best year; and an incredible 77% confirmed that 2021 was the BEST YEAR EVER (analyzed by rounds played) ... WOW!! Almost 50% indicated that it actually surpassed their BEST YEAR by over 15%.
HOW DID THE 2021 GOLF SEASON COMPARE TO YOUR BEST SEASON?
HOW DID THE 2021 GOLF SEASON COMPARE TO YOUR BEST SEASON?
2021 was HIGHER by more than 30% 2021 was HIGHER by 21 - 30% 2021 was HIGHER by 16 - 20%
2021 was HIGHER by 11- 15% 2021 was HIGHER by 6 - 10% 2021 was HIGHER by 2 - 5% 2021 was virtually the same - it was +/- 1% 2021 was LOWER by 2 - 5% 2021 was LOWER by 6 - 10% 2021 was LOWER by 11 - 15% 2021 was LOWER by 16 - 20% 2021 was LOWER by 21 - 30% 2021 was LOWER by more than 30%
0%
13%
14% 10%
19% 16%
5%
6%
3%
4%
2% 2%
3% 3%
5%
10% 15%
20% 25%
Golf Business Canada
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