News
Rounds played down 0.4% for September
11/8/2002
Rounds played across the country decreased only marginally in year-over-year comparisons for September, but that was hardly good news for operators who've now seen fewer rounds played for the fifth time in six months. Six of the nine U.S. regions tracked by Golf Datatech LLC, a Kissimmee, Fla.-based research company, saw a drop in rounds played for the first month of fall, resulting in a 0.4 percent overall decline. The biggest regional decline for the month was 7.1 percent reported by New England (Connecticut, Vermont, Rhode Island, Massachusetts, New Hampshire and Maine). Not too far behind New England was the East South Central region (Mississippi, Alabama, Tennessee, Kentucky), which posted a 5.8-percent decrease. In the South Atlantic region, Florida -- by itself -- posted a 12.3 percent increase in September, marking the second consecutive month the Sunshine State has registered a double-digit increase in rounds played. However, when paired with the region's other states -- Georgia, South Carolina, North Carolina, Virginia, West Virginia, Maryland and Delaware -- the South Atlantic had a 1.6-percent decline. The largest increase in rounds played, 2.6 percent, came in the East North Central region (Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Michigan and Ohio). In retrospect, September was one of the few good months for the East North Central region, as its year-to-date rounds played remain down 4.6 percent -- the most among the nine regions. The greatest year-to-date increase in rounds played (0.7 percent) belongs to the West South Central region (Texas, Oklahoma, Louisiana, Arkansas). The region also posted the second-largest gain for September, 1.6 percent. Rounds played figures for the first nine months of 2002 remain down 1.9 percent. Date Posted: 11/8/2002
