Drop in US Women Golfers

Fewer women are playing golf in the United States, but those who do play are spending more money on equipment.

That is one of a number of conclusions drawn from an examination of key market research data published by America's National Sporting Goods Association (NSGA).

Comparing 1999 sports participation and consumer purchases data with the same data for 1994, the NSGA discovered that while the total number of golfers, aged seven and older, grew from 24.6 million to 27.0 million, the number of women golfers declined from 5.9 million in 1994 to 5.6 million last year.

During the five-year span, though, women spent a greater percentage of dollars on clubs in sets and utility clubs. Women almost doubled their spending on sets of clubs in 1999 ($461.2 million) compared with 1994 ($235.5 million), and also spent more on utility clubs, jumping to $74.4 million from $54.4 million.

"The myth that more women are playing golf is just that, a myth," said NSGA vice-president of information & research Thomas B.Doyle. "However, those women who are playing golf are much more serious about the sport, as their increased spending indicates."

NSGA's research also suggests that the "Tiger Woods effect" is starting to show with more youngsters taking up the sport. Participation among younger golfers (aged 7-17) has increased by 42 per cent from 2.6 million in 1994 to 3.7 million in 1999. Purchases of clubs in sets by younger golfers rose from $45.3 million to $212.3 million, a 369 per cent increase.

"The last five years have been very good for golf," Doyle said. "Between 1994 and 1999, the number of golf participants grew nearly 10 per cent, and all consumer purchases of golf equipment rose by 30 per cent."

In 1999, men accounted for 74.8 per cent of purchases of sets of clubs, 85.2 per cent of utility clubs, 91.6 per cent of golf balls and 80.2 per cent of golf bags.

More than a quarter of all golfers (25.3 per cent) fell into the 45-64 age group last year. They accounted for 29.8 per cent of purchases of sets of clubs, 31.9 per cent of utility clubs, 40.2 per cent of balls, and 30.3 per cent of bags.

"Golf equipment has always been considered among the most expensive," Doyle added. "Traditionally, as the earning power of golfers increases, they purchase more expensive equipment, especially those who play frequently or join private clubs."