Business is booming

9/19/2020

The fall edition of Worldwide Golf Shops Insider features the latest in equipment and accessories.

Not only are golf rounds up, retail sales also are surging as demand soars

Golf is booming across SoCal, with many of our courses bustling with play from sunup to sundown.

And it’s not just here in SoCal. According to the Washington Post, golfers across the country played 10 million more rounds in July than they did a year ago, a 20 percent increase as recorded by Golf Datatech, the sport’s leading independent market research company. In fact, we heard that during the month of August, one San Diego muni saw upwards of 11,000 rounds. That’s a lot of golfers.

But it’s not just tee times that are on the rise.

Golf Datatech recently reported that U.S. retail golf equipment sales for August 2020 were up nearly 32% over the same period in 2019, exceeding the previous all-time high in August 2006 by 15%.

That bodes well for SoCal retail stores such as Roger Dunn Golf Shops and The Golf Mart, with nearly 20 stores across the region. (For a look at some of the newest and best equipment to come out over the summer, CLICK HERE to read the retail chain's digital magazine.)

In total, U.S. golf retail equipment sales for August 2020 were $331 million, compared to $251 million in August 2019, and the previous record year of August 2006 was $287 million. Additionally, five equipment categories set records for August: golf balls, irons, wedges, bags and gloves. Overall, golf bags were the best performing equipment category in August, up 55% against August 2019.

“We started tracking golf equipment sales in 1997 and we have never seen a surge like what has happened in the summer of 2020, coming out of the worldwide shutdown from COVID-19,” said John Krzynowek, a partner at Golf Datatech. “While the overall 2020 U.S. retail golf equipment market is still down 4.1 % YTD from 2019, this spike is nothing short of remarkable considering the game and business of golf was shut down for a good part of the spring season. The August sales record, which followed an all-time record month in July, is great news for the industry moving forward. It indicates how popular golf is today, especially as an ideal social distancing activity."