Agenda Packets - 1993/07/26 - Laserfiche WebLink

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1 1 i 1 1 N 1 1 1 1 1 1 f• The dip in 1991 has been largely attributable to the recession. The leisure industry is not invulnerable to a recession, but during recessions it is generally thought that, for leisure, people tend to stay closer to home. This should bode well for golf facilities in reasonable proximity to the golfer's residence, and not well for resort facilities. It should also bode well for golfing venues that are moderately priced in relation to the quality of the golfing facilities. State Patterns If the national pattern looks positive, the situation in the state of Minnesota is even more so. The National Golf Foundation report, Golf Participation in the U.S. / 1992 Edition shows Minnesota leading the nation in the percentage of residents age 12 and over who play golf. At 20.4 percent of the population, it is estimated that 823,000 Minnesotans play golf. This information was the basis of an article in the May/June issue of Golf Market Today which was headlined, "Minnesota Leads in Zest for Golf." To quote: The participation rates show what percentage of a states population are golfers and serves as sort of a popularity index... The leaderboards show Minnesota leading the nation for the third straight year.. According to the latest analyses, 20.4% of the Gopher State's citizens age 12 and over play golf. This is nearly twice the national rate of 11.9%. Metro Patterns Minnesota's zest for golf is reflected in ways other than participation rates. The Minnesota Golf Association, an organization with membership of private clubs, public courses and individual golfers is acknowledged nationally as one of the strongest golf associations in the U.S. The United States Golf Association reports that by 1994, Minnesota will be the only state in the country that will have hosted all of its various national championships. The Men's U.S. Open hosted by Hazeltine National Golf Club in 1991 set all-time attendance marks for U. S. Open championships, reflecting once again Minnesotans' enthusiasm for golf. Golf is popular locally as well with 104 courses located in the Twin Cities Metro Area. While the private club market seems somewhat depressed (as evidenced by newspaper ads and television commercials offering memberships at discount prices), the demand for public golf is strong. It is difficult to get tee times at many public courses, particularly on weekends, and particularly at the better public facilities. The chances of getting on the established quality 5