News
Golf Datatech Seeking Additional Courses to Enhance National Rounds Played Report
12/19/2001
Golf Datatech is calling on other golf organizations and companies to assist in the enlistment of additional courses to participate in the report. Golf Datatech began issuing its National Rounds Played Report to the industry free of charge in 1999. The report’s objective is to monitor the game’s rate of participation in the United States and determine whether more or less rounds are being played in cities, states and regions in a month’s period compared to the same period in previous years. Data gleaned from the report allows the industry—from course owners to golf manufacturers and suppliers to banks and housing developers—to better understand how participation rates are changing from year to year. There are currently more than 1,000 courses reporting rounds played each month, representing nine regions in the U.S., and Canada. Golf Datatech has set a goal to increase that number to 2,500-3,000, out of the 16,000-plus courses in the U.S., by the end of 2002, with an interim goal of 1,600 by the end of 2001. The additional courses will allow us to make the National Rounds Played Report more encompassing, more informational for the entire industry,” said Tom Stine, co-founder of Golf Datatech. “The current number of courses we have reporting are not enough to obtain an accurate read on many of the ‘golfagraphical’ areas of the country. In order for the report to be effective and practical for the industry, it needs to segment regions of the country down to its major metropolitan areas.” The National Golf Course Owners Association has taken a leadership role in endorsing the National Rounds Played Report and assisted in the effort, not only financially but also by campaigning for the enlistment of its member courses. Golf Datatech has also received support in recruiting courses from golf management companies Club Corp, American Golf and Meadowbrook Golf Group. “The accurate measurement of rounds and the associated trends is fundamental to the health of the industry,” stated Mike Hughes, Executive Director of the NGCOA. “By using these measures we will be able to grow the game efficiently and effectively.” To date, Golf Datatech has assumed full financial and organizational responsibility to build the National Rounds Played Report. Stine said the company is prepared to continue to fund the report indefinitely, but that its limits on the funding will also limit the growth of the report in both time and size. “It’s imperative that other golf organizations and companies contribute effort to increasing the number of courses enlisted for the report so that it can more quickly benefit the industry as a whole,” Stine said. “Assistance from state and national golf associations, the PGA of America’s Sections and Chapters, and state and citywide golf course owners groups could benefit this report immensely. This report is for all the industry and needs to be by all the industry. There is no charge to participate and no charge to receive the data.” Stine also stressed that individual course numbers are strictly confidential and never released. Courses wanting information about the report or to sign up can contact Monica Crocombe or Suzie Reis at Golf Datatech (toll free) 866-944-4116 or email golfroundsplayed@aol.com.
