MANY OF OUR AREA COURSES will open next week. So get ready this week while the weather isn’t so great inside at the Schaumburg Golf Club 401 North Roselle Road, that has 3 simulators-which include the chance to play the Schaumburg Golf Club. Book your time at SchaumburgGolf.com or call (847)-885-9000. MISTWOOD GOLF DOME on Rt. 53 in Bolingbrook is open-so is McWethy’s Sports Bar in the dome. Catch the start of baseball-the Final Four-while you tee it up. Mistwoodgolfdome.com or call the dome at (630)-739-7600. Mistwood Golf Club will open soon for the outdoor season.

THE GOG BLOG by RORY SPEARS, Director of Content and Creation for Golfers on Golf. Follow Rory on Twitter @GogBlogGuy or connect-LinkedIn/Facebook/Instagram.

The 2023 PGA Show in Orlando Florida-the Buzz is not coming back-it’s already here.

THE BUZZ is here.

So here come’s another golf season for the folks up north. Will golfers explode back out on the courses around town all summer long.

Was the golf boom just something one could do, while Covid was at it’s peak.

So what do the numbers say, what are signs of a good solid industry. IS GOLF in a good place-what do the numbers show us for 2023 and the immediate future beyond. Let’s take a look.

Golfers on Golf has reviewed the numbers from two studies, and seen plenty of signs of positive growth for golf, here’s what they are.

THE 2023 KEMPERSPORTS GOLFER INSIGHT STUDY-Teeing up the Future of Golf, showed the follow numbers. The data came from over 16,000 golfers from across the country who were polled.

89% of those polled are still playing as much or more golf, than they did back in the height of the pandemic. 78% percent will play as many as 16 times a year or more.

WHY PLAY GOLF ? 70% of GEN-Z (ages 16-25) say they play for a stress relief outlet. 54% just want to unplug for a while. Older generations says they need the exercise and just want some outdoor time.

WHAT ROLE DOES TECHNOLOGY PLAY IN GOLF-The KSM survey showed that golfers of all ages are enjoying the technical improvements in golf. Using technology to improve one’s game, while making their rounds more enjoyable. 75% said they like GPS systems on their golf cart. 50% like tracking their numbers while they practice on the range. 54% are interested in finding easy ways to book their next tee time online.

GEN-Z NUMBERS SHOW that 55% of younger players are hitting the course more often, as a result. They are getting to be better players. 81% say the social aspect of the game helps make it more fun. 70% say they are interested in social events or a league. But 83% currently are not in a league.

NEW PLAYERS who took up the game in the last three years, 85% of them still want to play 18 holes most of the time, but are open to shorter rounds or short courses, such as par-3 courses.

THESE RESULTS were done in December of 2022-by KemperSports management and their partners.

GOLF DATATECH announced at the 2023 PGA Show in Orlando the results of their World Golf Report-that produced the following numbers.

Golf is now a $20 Billion dollar industry. $11.1 Billion on the equipment side, with $8.9 Billion on the apparel side. The numbers from 2021 equipment and apparel, sold in record numbers with an increase of over $ 5 Billion Dollars. But while the figures remained strong for most of 2022-4th Quarter numbers were down due to economic issues.

While the golf industry has remained strong for the last two years, it could have been better without the factor of three issues. Supply Chain issues keep companies from producing enough product. Shipping and transportation of goods are still hampered by Covid-19 restrictions. The strengthening US Dollar, frequently negated positive sales trends within local markets.

The United States and Korea have driven the growth in the equipment and apparel sales. Korean increases include growth of 93% (+549 million) with US growth at +43% ($1.6 billion dollars).

The United States #1 and Korea #3 are strong markets. But the top 5 world golf markets include #2 Japan #4 United Kingdom #5 Canada. The USA and Japan comprise 66% of the worlds golf equipment market.  But it’s Korean golfers that spend more per-capita on their equipment than any other country.

GOLFDATA TECH works with Yano Research on collecting it’s data, for this study.

MORE STUDIES SHOW that golf heavy states are drawing population growth.

Numerous studies and state census studies show the top five states for population growth since the start of the pandemic are, 1. Florida 2. South Carolina, 3. North Carolina, 4.Tennessee and 5.Texas. The reasons for these changes in growth are not just golf alone, but better weather-better golf season weather, lower taxes, better cost of living, plus the political climates of the states. The new residents of the five states listed above come from primarily California, Illinois and New York.

THESE STATISTICS were provided to Golfers on Golf from various golf bodies-that get numbers from state and national data bases and research institutions.

GOLFERS ON GOLF OBSERVATIONS from the 2023 winter golf trip. New golf course construction is climbing. Golf architects from both down south and in the Midwest say they are all very busy. Tom Doak is currently working on Pinehurst No.10, because Coore and Crenshaw were too busy at the current time to start the project. Several other southern states destination properties are building new courses, or adding holes and par-3 courses to keep up with demand. Bandon Dunes in Oregon is the latest to announce the addition of new golf. A 19-hole par-3 golf course will be Bandon’s newest golf course.

But the same thing happened in Brooksville Florida. At the new Cabot Citrus Farms where architects Riley Johns and Keith Rhebb stepped back from the redo of the Rolling Oaks golf course, due to a strong workload with much of it overseas. Several Chicago area, Michigan and St. Louis area architects tell Golfers on Golf they are very busy.

The demand for golf all winter long in the Chicago area, has not only public courses, and private clubs adding simulators. But various golf companies are setting up golf simulator businesses with food and beverage services in strip malls. Because these days, it’s almost as easy to find golf simulator operations as it is to find Walgreens or McDonalds.

ONE STUDY says the demand for new golf products in early 2023 is slightly down. But up in northern states, winter months are not strong times of year for golfers to make equipment purchases.

Spring and summer are almost here, things are starting to heat up. Stay tuned and here’s to a great 2023 golf season, hopefully things keep trending in the right direction for golf.