Golf rounds in the United States fell 1.8 percent in 2008 compared to the previous year, according to the year-end National Golf Rounds Played report.
The decline is the largest since 2002 – the year following the 9-11 tragedy – when rounds plummeted 3.0 percent.
Weak December play – with rounds plunging 6.8 percent for the month – ensured that the rounds total would drop for the second consecutive year.
States with the largest dropoffs in play for the year were Iowa (down 8.6 percent) and
Idaho-Wyoming-Montana (down 8.0 percent). Play in Hawaii also fell 7.6 percent.
One of the few bright spots was Texas, where rounds rose 6.2 percent for the year, fueled in part by a 9.4 percent gain in San Antonio and a 7.3 percent rise in Dallas-Ft. Worth.
The National Golf Rounds Played report is compiled by Golf Datatech with the cooperation of the National Golf Foundation, the National Golf Course Owners Association and the PGA of America.
Rounds played changes year-by-year
Year Change
2008 -1.8 %
2007 -0.1%
2006 +0.8%
2005 -0.1%
2004 +0.7%
2003 -1.5%
2002 -3.0%
2001 -0.1%
Sources: National Golf Foundation, Golf Datatech