After nearly two decades of slow decline, golf enjoyed renewed popularity during Covid in what the game's stakeholders hope is the new normal. But after a few years of a pandemic-driven boom, about 50 million fewer rounds were played in 2022, compared with the previous year. Less than halfway through this year, it appears things are on their way to getting back to the new normal.
Year-over-year rounds played in May were up by 10 percent compared with the same month last year, according to the Golf Datatech Monthly Rounds Played report.
Rounds played in May were up in 39 states and were up by at least 11 percent in 19 of them, with New Mexico leading the way with an increase of 57 percent. Play also was up by 35 percent in Kansas and Nebraska, 30 percent in Oregon and Minnesota, 27 percent in Illinois and 26 percent in Washington.
Year-over-year rounds played through May were up by 5 percent, compared to the same five-month period a year ago. The increase was welcome news in an industry that saw rounds drop from 502 million two years ago to 451 million last year.
The biggest losers in May were Idaho, Maine, Montana, New Hampshire, Utah, Vermont and Wyoming, all of which saw play drop by 23 percent compared to the same month last year. Year-to-date rounds played are down throughout New England, including a drop of 43 percent in Maine, New Hampshire and Vermont.