For most of the summer, Mother Nature has been conspiring against both golfers and superintendents.
The good news is that golfer demand remains high despite the weather.
According to the latest National Rounds Played Report by Golf Datatech, rainfall in June (the most recent report available) was up by double digits throughout the South and much of the Midwest and East, rounds played, however, were largely unaffected.
Rainfall totals in June were up anywhere from 8 percent to 51 percent throughout the South and Southeast, compared to the same month last year, according to the Golf Datatech report. Precipitation totals in the Midwest and Mid-Atlantic were up by 12 percent to 18 percent for the same period.
On the other end of the spectrum, the Northeast has been plagued by drought-like conditions, with rainfall totals down by an average of more than 50 percent since last June.
Play, however, has remained relatively unchanged during the past year, with rounds played down by less than 1 percent nationwide, ranging from up by 2 to 3 percent to down by the same amount regardless of climate and location. Year-over-year rounds played demand in June were flat in the Midwest and the arid Northeast, and down by only 2 to 3 percent in the boiled and basted Mid-Atlantic, South and Southeast.
Likewise, year-to-date rounds played are flat for the first six months with very little deviation from one coast to the other. Play was down by just 1 to 3 percent east of the Mississippi River and up 3 to 4 percent in the western half of the country.
Stable demand despite weather challenges is a good sign, as demand keeps pace with 2024, which was a record-setting year.
According to the annual state of the industry report by Jim Koppenhaver of Pellucid Corp. and Stuart Lindsay of Edgehill Golf Advisors during this year's PGA Merchandise Show, 23.4 million golfers played a record 532 million rounds in 2024, the first time the 530 million rounds played threshold was eclipsed. Among those 23.4 million golfers were 4.9 million newcomers to offset 4.3 players who left the game. The net gain of 600,000 golfers included 400,000 girls and women.
Those 23.4 million golfers played a record 532 million rounds last year, which, according to the report, was 10 percent above the supply-demand equilibrium and the first time the 530 million round mark was eclipsed.