Page 37 - GBC fall 2015

RESEARCH REPORT
ROUNDS PLAYED & WEATHER REPORTING
There are two big changes to the NGCOA Canada Rounds Played and Weather Reporting!
The first is the addition of the WEATHER Report. By pulling weather statistics from regional weather stations and asking golf course operators to ‘score’ the weather on the basis of how it impacted their business on a month to month basis, we now have quantifiable data that further supports and explains the change in rounds played at a facility or in a region. Secondly, because we have three years’ worth of data from most regions across the country we are now able to provide meaningful comparisons between the current year/month to three year averages for both the National and Regional reports.
To date, 2015 is looking like a ‘good news’ story for most regions across the country with the exception of Atlantic Canada whose rounds have been significantly impacted due to the severe and extended winter. As of May, British Columbia had seen increases
in every month-to-date report in 2015 and Alberta and the Prairies were showing month-to-date and year-to-date increases primarily due to the early start to the season which got the golfers out early and often this year. Ontario and Quebec also increased their year- to-date performances compared to both the one and three year averages.
Based on historical averages, all regions across the country, with the exception of the Prairies, saw increases in temperatures in May. The operators ‘Weather Score’ of 8.65 for British Columbia coincides with their increases in rounds played.
It is certainly encouraging to see all the ‘Black’ numbers on our reports this season! It would suggest that business is on the upswing for Canada in 2015. We urge all our NGCOA Canada members to participate in this fast, easy and informative research initiative.
For more information on this research project, or how you can participate, please contact Brent Hutcheon at bhutcheon@ngcoa.ca
*due to the timing involved to gather data and generate the monthly reports, combined with the timing for printing this magazine, the May Rounds Played Report was the most current one available. However, you can visit www.ngcoa.ca to view the most up-to-date monthly reports, at your convenience.
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