The Pellucid Perspective - April 2017 - 4

GOLF INDUSTRY
HEALTH

* Play Rate (golfers per capita)
* Rounds played
* Supply level & mix
* Golfers & involvement distribution
Beyond the fact that they haven't correctly identified the current core metrics, the WGF is proposing that it's going to "publish, beginning in the coming weeks, its own assessment of the
state of the golf business." So what are we currently missing that's
core to the health of the industry and revelationary in nature according to the WGF?
* Engagement with the game - They're going to measure participation spanning green grass courses (as opposed to the AstroTurf courses?), driving ranges and golf entertainment facilities,
including TopGolf. I think we can see where this is going; to
change the narrative, change the definitions (another Finchem
trademark)
* Interest in participating in the game - While not stating
that they're going to expand upon the NGF's traditional metric
of latent demand, I'm assuming that will be in there along with
the article's stated components of all the national player development initiatives, fan interest (TV audience for all TOURs),
those who engage digitally through mobile and desktop devices
and....Golf Channel viewership and digital engagement. When
I worked at Kraft we called this "making up the boxcar numbers." This is going to be a really big boxcar and what you'll see is

DIS COV ER

the fan base supporting the growth story there and particularly
the digital side. I don't disagree that there's some element of
"industry health" that needs to be attributed to the entertainment and media segment of golf but one also has to realize that
this is almost exclusively of importance to the organizations who
host professional golf tournaments (TOUR, PGA of America,
USGA etc.) vs. the broader industry that works "in the trenches"
of golf course operations.
In summary, I understand and can appreciate the strategy by
the various organizations behind the current narrative and upcoming industry health metrics shift by the WGF. I'd suggest
however that it's a media production being created for a non-golf
industry audience. For the core golf industry participants, however, don't get distracted by the diversion. We have serious challenges to understand, meet and overcome and those aren't going
to change with PR sleight-of-hand. In my opinion correction of
the current trend starts with fun at the core of our value proposition, is enhanced by a consistently good customer experience and
includes adapting our product to meet the changing consumer
needs while retaining the best features of traditional golf. If we
do those things well and broadly, the core metrics of RevpAR,
Utilization and Velocity will stabilize and become the foundation
for the next wave of growth. At that point, I'll join the industry
association chorus, supported by facts, in proclaiming that future
period as "the best of times."
n

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Clockwise from top: Tierra del Sol Resort & Golf, Noord, Aruba; The Ridge, Castle Pines, Colorado;
Stockton Seaview Hotel and Golf Club, Galloway Township, New Jersey.

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Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Pellucid Perspective - April 2017
