The number of rounds being played in Great Britain and Ireland is continuing to grow rapidly according to data released by the market leaders in tee-time management.
Together, BRS Golf and GolfNow provide tee time booking services to 1,500 golf clubs in GB&I and, for the first three months of this year, they processed 5.6 million member rounds, which represents a nine per cent jump compared to the same period last year. The direst February on record contributed to a bumper number that month.
However the fall in living standards has started to translate into lost members. Although the sample of clubs is relatively small, BRS estimates UK golf club member dropped by 6,000 over the course of January-March.
Despite that drop, the dramatic growth in rounds played shows no sign of slowing down. In the first quarter of 2019 there were 2.8m played while this year that number was 5.6m.
The monthly breakdown was as follows:
• 1.7 million in January (150k down YOY),
• 2.0 million in February (500k up YOY)
• 1.9 million in March (flat YOY)
By country that translate to:
• England: 2.8 million rounds (10% up YOY)
• Ireland: 1.25 million rounds (5% up YOY)
• Scotland: 863,000 rounds (7% up YOY)
• Northern Ireland: 413,000 rounds (17% up YOY)
• Wales: 291,000 rounds (6% up YOY)
Over the same period GolfNow generated more than £2m in green fee revenue for its course partners. This represents a 21 per cent increase YOY. In total 1,404 golf clubs sold rounds through GolfNow during January-March 2023 and average basket value per booking was up five per cent YOY to £55.20.
The membership numbers are based on those clubs who were live and transacting in December 22, and do not include any new clubs signed up to BRS Golf over the first quarter of 2023:
• 53% of these lost members have been in Ireland & Northern Ireland
• 28% in Scotland
• 19% in England
• Wales remains flat
More worryingly:
• In Ireland and Northern Ireland 18 clubs lost 100+ members, and 36 clubs lost more than 50 but less than 100.
• In Scotland seven clubs have lost more than 100 members, 21 clubs have lost more than 50, but less than 100.
• In England, 19 clubs have lost 100+ members and 30 clubs have lost more than 50 but less than 100 members. This drop in registered members has been evenly split between the North and South, with the Midlands remaining almost flat from the end of 2022.