- Contents
- *Scope and Themes
- What you need to know
- Definition
- Data sources
- Sales data
- Consumer survey data
- Direct marketing creative
- Advertising creative
- Abbreviations and terms
- Abbreviations
- Terms
What you need to know
Participation in golf has been steadily declining since its peak in 2003. While the economic recession foots some of the blame, the fact that annual rounds had been declining prior to the downturn indicates a loss of interest in the sport itself. As with most leisure activities, a lack of money and time are most often cited as reasons for not playing the game and, even with an improving economy, golf continues to be a relatively expensive sport requiring a substantial investment of leisure time.
Golf course design evolved throughout the 1990s to meet anticipated demand from serious golfers (and aging Baby Boomers) who wanted to be challenged by PGA Tour-like courses. During the boom years of golf course development, courses became longer and more difficult. Now, it appears that the game must evolve once again if it is to attract a new breed of recreational, casual golfers who do not aspire to join the Tour, but rather enjoy the social and physical benefits of the game.
Industry players have noted the loss of participation and have launched programs to target the nontraditional golfer (women, younger adults, kids, and minorities), though as participation continued to slide through 2011, these do not yet appear to have been successful. However, 2012 may be the year that the pendulum swings positive for golf. Golf equipment sales are up for the first time in five years, and year-to-date rounds of golf played are up compared with 2011.
Definition
This is the first report Mintel has prepared on the golf consumer. However, readers of this report may be interested in other leisure titles in Mintel’s library, including: Golf Equipment—U.S., March 2003, Family Leisure Trends—U.S., March 2011, Lifestyles of Baby Boomers—U.S., December 2011, Baby Boomers and Vacation—U.S., December 2012, Casinos—U.S., January 2011, and Cruises—U.S., January 2012.
For the purposes of this report, Mintel has used the following definition for its discussion of the market for golf equipment:
Golf clubs of any kind including putters, drivers, irons, sand wedges, hybrids, etc.
Golf balls
“Soft” goods, such as golf bags, gloves, and shoes.
Specifically excluded from the definition are golf vehicles of any kind, course fees and club memberships, golf lessons, golf apparel, tees, and training aids of any kind such as instructional videos, books, and other golfing-related publications. Antique or second-hand equipment of any kind is also excluded.
Value figures throughout this report are at retail selling prices (rsp) excluding sales tax unless otherwise stated.
Sales data
Market Size, Segmentation, and Forecast: all historical sales figures are provided by Golf Datatech, LLC, the golf industry’s leading market research company; forecasts produced by Mintel.
Consumer survey data
For the purposes of this report, Mintel commissioned exclusive consumer research through GMI to explore consumers’ interest in, playing habits, and attitudes toward golf. Mintel was responsible for the survey design, data analysis, and reporting. Fieldwork was conducted in July 2012 among a sample of 2,000 adults aged 18+ with access to the internet, including 395 adults who play golf and 604 adults who have played or who are interested in playing golf.
Mintel selects survey respondents so that they are proportionally balanced to the entire U.S. adult population based on the key demographics of gender, age, household income, and region. Mintel also slightly oversamples, relative to the population, respondents that are Hispanic or black to ensure an adequate representation of these groups in our survey results. Please note that our surveys are conducted online and in English only. Hispanics who are not online and/or do not speak English are not included in our survey results.
Mintel has also analyzed data from Experian Simmons Consumer Research, using the Simmons National Consumer Study (NCS), the Simmons National Hispanic Consumer Study (NHCS), the Experian Simmons Teen Study, and the Experian Simmons Kids Study.
The NCS/NHCS was carried out during January 2011-March 2012 and the results are based on the sample of 24,330 adults aged 18+, with results weighted to represent the U.S. adult population.
The report also draws on the following older Experian Simmons Adult Studies:
NCS/NHCS: Winter 2008 Adult Full Year—POP (February 2007-March 2008)
NCS/NHCS: Winter 2010 Adult Full Year—POP (February 2009-March 2010)
The Experian Simmons Teen Study was conducted during April 2011-June 2012 and based on a sample of 1,906 teenagers aged 12-17, with results weighted to represent the U.S. teen population.
The report also draws on the following older Experian Simmons Teen Studies:
Spring 2008 Teens 12-17 Full Year (April 2007-June 2009)
Spring 2010 Teens 12-17 Full Year (April 2009-June 2010)
The Experian Simmons Kids Study was conducted during April 2011-June 2012 and based on a sample of 2,209 kids aged 6-11, with results weighted to represent the U.S. kid population.
The report also draws on the following older Experian Simmons Kid Studies:
Spring 2008 Kids 6-11 Full Year (April 2007-June 2009)
Spring 2010 Kids 6-11 Full Year (April 2009-June 2010)
While race and Hispanic origin are separate demographic characteristics, Mintel often compares them to each other. Please note that the responses for race (white, black, Asian, Native American, or other race) will overlap those that also are Hispanic, because Hispanics can be of any race.
Mintel has also used Experian Simmons’ Mosaic household-based consumer lifestyle segmentation system that classifies all U.S. households and neighborhoods into 71 unique segments and 19 overarching groups, to provide a 360-degree view of consumers’ choices, preferences, and habits. Mintel has analyzed five of the segments that include the most active golfers. The five segments, definitions, and demographic profiles compared to the average are included below:
| Mosaic segment | Definition | Demographic characteristics |
| Golf Carts and Gourmets* | Upscale retirees and empty-nesters in comfortable communities | 0.3% of the sample (n=68); skews slightly female (54.5%), aged 65+ (72.8%), white (95%), married (79.7%), retired (68.9%), with a household income of $25K-99.9K (60.2%); 192% more likely than the average to have played golf in the past 12 months (38% have played). |
| Cul de Sac Diversity | Ethnically diverse, middle-aged families settled in new suburban neighborhoods | 1.6% of the sample (n=399); skews male (54.7%) and younger than the other segments, those aged 25-44 account for more than half (58.5%), about half are non-white (48.1%), more likely than the average to be married, but less likely than other segments’ individuals (62.2%), employed (74.9%), with a household income of $100K+ (40.4%); 108% more likely than the average to have played golf in the past 12 months (27% have played). |
| Boomers and Boomerangs | Baby Boomer adults and their teenage/young adult children sharing suburban homes | 3.1% of the sample (n=749); equally male/female, Baby Boomers dominate, those aged 45-64 account for 64.7%, predominantly white (92.5%), married (73.4%), employed (72.3%), slightly less than half have household incomes of $100K+ (44.9%); 62% more likely than the average to have played golf in the past 12 months (21% have played). |
| Aging of Aquarius | Upscale Boomer-aged couples living in city and close-in suburbs | 3.8% of the Simmons sample (n=921); skews slightly male (53%), aged 55+ (60.6%), white (86.5%), married (67.4%), employed (61.6%); many with a household income of at least $100K (45.6%); 46% more likely than the average to have played golf in the past 12 months (19% have played compared with a 13% average). |
| Silver Sophisticates | Mature, upscale couples and singles in suburban homes | 2.1% of the sample (n=510); skews slightly female (54.5%), nearly half aged 65+ (46.2%), white (82.3%), married (69.5%), employed (53.8%), nearly half have household incomes of $100K+ (47.5%); 31% more likely than the average to have played golf in the past 12 months (17% have played). |
| Average respondent | Representative of U.S. population | 100% of the sample (N=24,330); nearly equal male/female, about one third are aged 55+ (33.6%), most are white (76.7%), married (54%), and employed (59.5%), about one quarter have a household income of $100K+ (24.5%); 13% have played golf in the past 12 months. |
* Golf Carts and Gourmets’ sample size of 68 is lower than the recommended minimum of 75 for conducting analysis as their projections are likely unstable and should be used with caution. They are included because this group is the most likely to have played golf in the past 12 months at 38%.
Direct marketing creative
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Abbreviations
The following abbreviations are used in this report:
| BLS | Bureau of Labor Statistics |
| CPI | Consumer Price Index |
| GDP | Gross Domestic Product |
| LPGA | Ladies Professional Golf Association |
| NCS/NHCS | National Consumer Study/National Hispanic Consumer Study (Experian Simmons) |
| NGA | National Golf Association |
| NGF | National Golf Foundation |
| OTTI | Office of Travel & Tourism Industries |
| : | : |
| : | : |
Terms
Generations are discussed within this report, and they are defined as:
| World War II | The generation born in 1932 or before. In 2012, members of this generation are aged 80 or older. |
| Swing Generation | The generation born between 1933 and 1945. In 2012, members of the Swing Generation are between the ages of 67 and 79. |
| Baby Boomers | The generation born between 1946 and 1964. In 2012, Baby Boomers are between the ages of 48 and 66. |
| Generation X | The generation born between 1965 and 1976. In 2012, Generation Xers are between the ages of 36 and 47. |
| Millennials* | The generation born between 1977 and 1994. In 2012, Millennials are between the ages of 18 and 35. |
| Matrix Generation** | The generation born from 1995 to present. In 2012, Matrices are aged 17 or younger. |
* also known as Generation Y or Echo Boomers
** previously known as Post-Millennials
In order to provide an inflation-adjusted price value for markets, Mintel uses the CPI to deflate current prices. The CPI is defined as follows:
| CPI | The Consumer Price Index is a measure of the average change over time in the prices paid by urban consumers for a market basket of consumer goods and services. The CPI and its components are typically used to adjust other economic series for price changes and to translate these series into inflation-free dollars. Examples of series adjusted by the CPI include retail sales, hourly and weekly earnings, and components of the national income and product accounts. In addition, and in Mintel reports, the CPI is used as a deflator of the value of the consumer’s dollar to find its purchasing power. The purchasing power of the consumer’s dollar measures the change in the value to the consumer of goods and services that a dollar will buy at different dates. The CPI is generally the best measure for adjusting payments to consumers when the intent is to allow consumers to purchase, at today’s prices, a market basket of goods and services equivalent to one that they could purchase in an earlier period. It is also the best measure to use to translate retail sales into real or inflation-free dollars. Based on Bureau of Labor Statistics definition. |
