Current USGA Data
In 2022, the USGA recorded 75,560,694 rounds posted for handicap purposes. Interestingly, 15% of those rounds were only nine-hole scores. Not surprisingly, Florida golfers posted the most rounds at 13.2%…then California at 11.9%…and Texas at 4.7%.
The number of American golfers with an active USGA handicap has surged nearly 17% – from 2,596,357 golfers in 2020 to 3,026,528 in 2022. Nearly 420,000 players established handicaps for the first time last year.
Boom Boom
Fred Couples, the sweet-swinging 63-year-old, became the oldest player to make the cut in Masters history. He finished tied for 50th place at +9, earning $47,160. Couples shares the record with Gary Player (and now Tiger Woods) making the most cuts at the Masters has long enjoyed sharing Augusta National information and his perspective with the next generation.
Undeniable Convenience
Almost all private clubs and golf resorts offer some sort of concierge service. More often than not, the service requires you to PHONE or EMAIL the concierge desk. After returning from the 2023 Punta Mita Pro-Am last week, I was surprised and impressed with how popular its TEXT butler concierge service was with players. If you do not offer a TEXT option, it’s worth considering. Members/guests seem to gravitate toward the option for two reasons: (1) Ease of use and (2) Proof the request was sent.
Vacation $$$
How we vacation continues to evolve. Here is the average expenditure per trip by generation:
– Baby Boomers – $6,126/trip
– Gen Xers – $5,060/trip
– Millennials – $4,141/trip
– Gen Zs – $2,788/trip