Nationally, rounds were down 1.6 percent and days open were nearly flat at -0.4 percent - compared to April 2008. The number of weekend days in April were the same as in April 2008.
YTD rounds played are down 0.5 percent with YTD days open up 1.2 percent. Based on 2008 calendar year statistics, approximately 24 percent of total annual rounds are played in January, February, March and April.
This information was gleaned from 2,295 golf facilities, including data from PGA and NGCOA participants and reported by PerformanceTrak in cooperation with NGCOA.
While overall rounds played were slightly down for April 2009, there were clear differences in results by facility type. For example, same-store rounds played at private facilities were flat at 0.1 percent, while same-store rounds played at resort facilities were down 8.0 percent.
This supports a theme that avid private golfers are maintaining their rounds at local facilities while destination resorts are being affected by economic concerns.
Useable same-store golf fee revenue responses were submitted by 1,068 facilities. Median gross golf fee revenue was down 4.8 percent nationally. All other gross revenues (merchandise revenue, food and beverage revenue and total revenue) were also down in April 2009 compared to April 2008.
For golf fee revenue, this indicates that with rounds slightly down, effective rates dropped resulting in gross revenues being down. Overall, YTD gross revenues were also down; however, similar to rounds played, there are differences in results by facility type.
The performance factor for April 2009 was 98.7 indicating rounds played per day open were down in April 2009 compared to April 2008. The YTD performance factor of 98.3 also indicated rounds played per day open were down for the year through April 2009.
State-by-state results below are for YTD rounds played and YTD days open, compared to the same period prior year, and with percent change. Midwestern states had significant increases in days open which supported increases in rounds played. States in the southeast had lower rounds played due in part to the decreases in days open.
The three states in this month's PerformanceTrak Spotlight are Illinois, North Carolina, and Washington.
The state of Illinois had significant increases in YTD days open of 17.4 percent. This has impacted the YTD rounds played in a positive way as the YTD rounds played in Illinois were up 22.4 percent. Other states in the Midwestern region of the U.S. had similar YTD results.
North Carolina is one of the states in the southeast that is showing YTD declines in rounds played. The YTD rounds played in North Carolina were down 11.3 percent. A portion of the decreased rounds played can be attributed to the YTD decreases in days open, which were down 7.6 percent in this state.
In the state of Washington, the YTD rounds played were up 2.2 percent. These increases in YTD rounds played were despite the YTD days open being down 2.9 percent.
Visit www.PGAPerformanceTrak.com for other state information.
