Leading US-based data insights and research company Pellucid has announced the publication of its Golf Consumer Base Scorecard 2024, its annual survey into the key playing trends and changing demographics across the US golf market.
Conducted in conjunction with the National Sporting Goods Association, the Consumer Base Scorecard reports the rise and fall of key metrics, including rounds played, numbers of golfers, frequency, demographic profiles (age, gender and household income) and engagement.
Among the key findings were that the number of golfers in the US grew for the fifth year running, with around 4 million more people playing the game in 2024 than they did in 2019. Both genders participated in the golfer base growth, with females having a higher growth rate, but males adding more in terms of base numbers.
The report shows that the growth in golfer numbers was broadly attributed to those under the age of 54, with the post-COVID trend of golf attracting younger and middle-age players continuing.
The number of rounds played per player, per year – frequency/engagement – was described as ‘flat’ due to the facility-reported rounds increase roughly matching the golfer increase, and the fact that new golfers don’t tend to play as often as committed golfers.
The ’24 Base Scorecard also notes that the percentage of golfers with household incomes of $75k or more grew, while those earning less than that figure playing golf decreased.
Course owner/operators wishing to obtain a copy of the ’24 Golfer Base Scorecard can do so by subscribing to Pellucid’s Golf Market Research Center, which provides single page, comparative period, weather-adjusted performance measurement of 7 KPIs from Rounds, Golf Revenue, Peak WE GF Rate.
Pellucid Publications Membership, which costs $495 per year, entitles members to all Pellucid publications, including the Consumer Base Scorecard, State of the Industry, Outside the Ropes newsletter, the monthly Nat’l/Reg’l Weather Impact Tracker and the US Golf Markets Strength Scorecard and Ranking report.
For more details, visit www.pellucidcorp.com/reports/pellucid-membership-program