MCWETHY’S SPORTS BAR at the Bolingbrook Golf Dome on Rt. 53 (630)-739-7600, and MCWETHY’S TAVERN on Renwick Road in Romeoville (815)-254-7001. Both are now open for indoor dining.  And the golf dome is open for both lessons and club fitting.  _____________________________________________________________________

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or friend him on Facebook. In the Mistwood Golf Dome.

GOLF DATATECH of Kissimmee Florida, the golf industry’s leading independent market research firm, for retail sales and consumer and trade trends, has unveiled the 2020 National Golf Performance Report.

The numbers show that 2020 that rounds of golf played increased by 13.9% over 2019.

But there was even more good news in equipment sales. Because equipment sales were up 10.1% over 2019.

Golf Datatech has been collecting numbers since 1998, and the largest increase in the past year of keeping records was in 2012. When the increase was 5.7%.

The previous record of increase on equipment sales, was in 2005. When sales jumped 10.0%.

Datatech partner John Krzynowek said that,” on the equipment side sales did increase by single digits in 2018 and 2019. But to earn double-digit gains inn 2020, can only attributed to the pandemic and golf being a respite for so many.”

APPAREL did not see the same kind of improvement. In fact a drop of 14.2%. This due to the fact that many pro shops were not operational for months. A lack of travel to resorts and club being faced with uncertain opening dates, potential of having to reclose after opening, and busy over the year. With some customers not being allowed into the pro shops, apparel ordering was strongly affected. However apparel online sites did have small a small growth of 3.2%.

Warm weather into December allowed for a strong finish to 2020, with rounds played going up 37% percent over 2019.

So now the question facing the industry. Is can the growth continue through 2021 and into 2022.