Golf Industry Preview - Survey

We polled our Secret Handicap Committee (SHC) recently with a couple of questions about their expectations for the golf business in the new year. Seems golf travel and real estate are going to do okay, but what many in the industry think of as the core of the business might be in for a tough time.

We asked which segments of the business will enjoy better performance in 2006. Here's what our SHC said:
- golf rounds ... 35.9%
- golf resorts and travel ... 69.2%
- golf equipment (balls, clubs, etc.) ... 38.5%
- agronomy products, including equipment ... 20.5%
- golf communities, real estate ... 53.8%

Although SHC members didn't especially think rounds would do better, their golf is still important to them. When we asked how often they think they'll play in 2006, this is what they said:
- fewer than 10 rounds ... 5.1%
- 11-24 rounds ... 15.4%
- 25-49 rounds (the classic "avid") ... 46.2%
- 50-99 rounds ... 30.8%
- the "Pashley category" ... 2.6%
(Disclaimer: they are on the SHC because they play golf, so it shouldn't surprise us that they intend to play - a lot - in 2006.)

For more on the Secret Handicap Committee, go here.