Nationwide surge in competition rounds recorded

The Australian Golf Industry Council’s (AGIC) recent competition rounds report presents a substantial national increase in the number of single handicapped rounds registered by GolfLink in 2016.

The report marks the fourth consecutive year of the council providing industry guidance on trends within competition rounds by analysing activity at approximately 1,700 golf facilities across Australia.

Covering a full 12 months, the report reveals a 2.1 per cent country wide increase in competitions rounds last year, with 14.85 rounds reported to GolfLink in December 2016 compared to 14.4 million the previous year.

Notably, female rounds were up a further 0.5 per cent, alongside a 2.5 per cent rise in men’s.

“It’s great that we have seen sustained growth now for the four years in which AGIC has prepared this report and it’s a great tribute to the work the clubs have put in during that time and the enduring popularity of the sport,” AGIC chairman Stephen Pitt told Golf Australia.

“Overall that percentage of women’s rounds at 17.7 per cent is something we’d like to see improve.

“We are delighted that more rounds were played by women, but we’d like to see it rise as a percentage of the overall picture.”

According to the report, facilities experienced a significant surge in rounds in the last quarter of the year with strong outcomes in NSW and Queensland particularly, with Tasmania being the only state recording a negative effect during the period.

Queensland experienced the overall largest upsurge in rounds played for the financial year with a 5 per cent growth over 2015, benefiting from less disruptive weather conditions than most other states.

Regional Australia experienced a whopping 2.8 per cent rise in rounds played with a remarkable 8,367,558 rounds outside the five key metropolitan areas.

Contrastingly, rounds recorded in the metropolitan areas were slightly more static with the collective capital cities enjoying 1.2 per cent growth over 2015 (Brisbane 6.8 per cent, Sydney 3.4 per cent and Melbourne 1.4 per cent).

Click here to read full report

About the AGIC

Established in 2006, the AGIC brings together representatives from the major golf industry bodies and works as one to promote golf and industry wide initiatives.

Members of the AGIC include the Australian Golf Course Superintendents Association, Australian Ladies Professional Golf, Australian Sporting Goods Association, Golf Australia, Golf Management Australia, PGA of Australia and the Society of Australian Golf Course Architects.