Page 20 - GBC summer ENG 2023

Right - Brooke Henderson at the 2022 CP Women’s Open (at Ottawa Hunt & Golf Club).
The USA golf market and economy in general can also boost or diminish the success of our Canadian golf industry. The better they do, the better Canada’s odds become. In 2022, rounds played at American courses declined by 3.7%, considerably less than Canada’s results. The most likely explanation is that Canadian golf declined by more because it had also increased by considerably more during the pandemic.
Media coverage of golf has been predominately positive since the pandemic arrived and golf became nicely positioned as part of the healthy solution, not part of the problem. After years of negative media headlines about golf, this is a valuable turnaround and one that our industry should leverage as much as possible.
CONCLUSIONS
So, what do we make of all this? Well, nobody has the crystal ball to know for sure. But we will distill it down to the following predic- tions...
• Golf will be a rare exception to the expected downward business trends that are implied by the pending economic headwinds, outperforming most other indus- tries again in 2023;
OR
• Golf course operators and the industry are being too optimistic with the forecasting presented here for 2023 and will actually experience declines in both rounds and revenues;
It is all food for thought, like a pimento cheese sandwich at Augusta National before the opening round of the Masters. All the best in your quest for your own “green jacket win” at the end of the golf season!
Golf Business Canada
Above - Corey Conners with Rory McIlroy at the 2022 RBC Canadian Open (at St. George’s Golf & Country Club).
Photo Credits: Golf Canada
INTANGIBLE FACTORS
In addition to the golf industry data and macro-economic indicators presented, there are various other factors that affect the Canadian golf industry.
If the supply chain bottleneck continues to improve, that is a valuable solution. Many supplier sectors have returned to normal, some even with too much inventory on hand which may help. But major equipment purchases, such as turf equipment and golf cars, remain on long procurement cycles.
The weather is a constant variable and appears to be a more serious risk now than in years gone by. Although the warming trend has the potential to lengthen Canada’s golf season, the severity and frequency of major weather events seems to net out the weather impact as a negative factor on Canadian golf. The related problem of inaccurate forecasting causes further weather risks to golf. The NGCOA Canada conducts monthly
Weather Impact Reports for Canadian golf, which are highly recommended for all operators to participate in.
The playoff prospects of our NHL teams and the Toronto Raptors has historically affected spring rounds of golf and golfer spending. With the Raptors out, and only the Oilers, Jets, and Leafs making the NHL playoffs, it will depend on how far any of those teams go.
Our Canadian PGA and LPGA Tour Pros performance also has the potential to stimulate golfer rounds and purchasing. Should Brooke Henderson or Corey Conners, for example, win early in the golf season or at one of the Canadian Opens, expectations are that they would further propel golfer engagement right away. Canada has probably never had a more promising line up of Canadian Tour Pros to cheer on, and strong Opens to showcase world class golf to Canadian golfers and beyond.
20 Golf Business Canada