Predicting the Future - Trends in the Golf Course Market
By Dr. Klaus Ennemoser

Dr. Klaus Ennemoser

The following table, Golf Statistics Europe 2000, shows this in detail.

About 77% of the golf courses are located in the five major European golf countries - UK, Germany, France, Sweden and Ireland. The remainder are spread over 25 other countries.

Also, the same five countries account for 75% of total golfers in Europe.

The following graph shows golf courses and golfers in the five major European golf nations.

The Major European Golf Countries
Golf Courses	Golfers
UK Germany France	Sweden Ireland Rest of Europe

(1) Availability (population per 18 hole course)
(2) Per capita (golfer in % of population)
(3) Capacity (or Usage) (golfers per 18 holes)

The following graph shows the development stages of the European countries, derived from the information above.

Development Stages of Golf in Europe

A statistical overview of the European Golf Market 2000 is shown below:

The top 5 countries by availability, per capita and capacity

Until 1995 the UK and Ireland had more golfers than the rest of Europe combined. Since 1996 this relation changes in favour of the "continent". By the end of 2000 "only" about 44% of the registered European golfers were on the British Isles and in Ireland.

Newly registered golfers per year (Europe) (1985 to 2000): 124.500

This graph shows this development




A comparison of the development of golf courses and the increase of golfers shows clearly that the growth of European golf is shifting to the continent.

Newly registered golfers per year (GB und IRL) (1985 to 2000): 29.500

New golf courses per year (GB und IRL) (1985 to 2000): 57

Newly registered golfers per year (Continent) (1985 to 2000): 95.000

Newly golf courses per year (Continent) (1985 to 2000): 129

Summarising the developments of European golf it can be said that:

- the countries UK, Germany, Sweden, France and Ireland are the leaders. These 5 countries have 76% of the golf courses and 77% of the golfers

- there is a total of about 5.800 golf courses and 3,3 million registered golfers in Europe. In addition there are about 2 million independent golfers, mostly from the UK.

- the development of new golf courses and the growing number of new golfers are increasingly shifting to the continent. The British market is highly saturated.

DEVELOPMENT OF GOLF WORLDWIDE - PREDICTION 2010

Predicting for larger areas is easier because more data is available. Therefore it can be assumed that the outlook on the world market is quite realistic.

Prediction 2010 - Golf Course

Prediction 2010 - Golfers

A comparison of the different countries and regions shows that the margins between the outlook based on absolute increase in the past and the increase rates in Europe show the biggest differences. This also means that the major increases within the next decade will take place in Europe, compared with other regions.

Finally, development of the golf market can be summarised as follows:

General Trends
The ratio between work and leisure time changes continuously - more leisure time used for personal interestsPeople get older, education gets better and there is the tendency towards small families and single households.

Golf Trends Competition will make golf more affordable (tendency to mass sport). There will be a greater variety of golf courses with an increasing number of both short and inexpensive courses, and expensive private clubs (at the other end of the scale).

Golf worldwide 2010 Worldwide about 36.750 Golf Courses and 82,4 million Golfers can be estimated for 2010.
Importantly development in Europe will be the most dynamic.