Vital Signs, june 12, 2015

     KPMG’s Golf Advisory Practice is expecting an upturn in Europe’s golf fortunes this year, but golfers aren’t going to find many new venues to play. In “Golf Participation in Europe 2015,” KPMG concludes that literally one course was added to the inventory in 2014. While the Continent’s golf industry may be showing signs of life, growth clearly remains elusive in the construction side of the business. The current total of nine- and 18-hole regulation-length courses in Europe: 6,786.

     For as much attention as China’s golf industry gets, the number of “core” or “avid” golfers in the nation remains small. Citing data provided by Forward Management Group, China Daily reports that the nation’s “regular golfer population” consists of only 410,000 players, the vast majority of them men. The group includes 77,900 female golfers, or 19 percent of the total. By contrast, men account for roughly two-thirds of the “registered” golfers in Europe, according to “Golf Participation in Europe 2015,” while women account for 25 percent.

     Slowly but surely, Tasmania has been emerging as a high-quality golf destination. Now, with a pair of true world-class links nearing their debuts on nearby King Island, it’s legitimate to ask: How big a wave can Tasmania catch, and how long might it last? Last year, close to 27,000 traveling golfers visited Tasmania, an increase of 33 percent over the number recorded in 2013, and that’s with just one main draw: Barnbougle Dunes, which features two of the world’s top-ranked layouts. Once the much-anticipated tracks on King Island open -- Cape Wickham Links this fall and Ocean Dunes early next year -- how many more golfers can the remote island be expected to attract? “Tasmania could be the number-one golf touring destination in [the] Asia Pacific,” argues Greg Ramsay, who envisioned Barnbougle Dunes and assembled the group that built it. It’s true that Tasmania has plenty of upside, but don’t forget that it’s still a relative unknown. In addition, it faces stiff competition both in Australia and New Zealand, and Southeast Asia is aggressively marketing itself as an ideal place for golf tours. Tasmania will no doubt register with those who crave a pure links experience, but supplies of such golfers are limited.

     The golf season in Great Britain has gotten off to a promising start. In the first quarter of this year, the number of rounds played at British golf facilities increased by 14 percent over the number played during the same period in 2014, according to data provided by Sports Marketing Surveys. SMS attributed the results to the weather, which was warmer and drier than usual. This is a small sample size, to be sure, but the British golf industry appears to be trending in the right direction, as the number of rounds played in 2014 increased by 3.5 percent over those posted in 2013. A spokesperson for SMS called the latest results “fantastic news for the industry.”

     The average golf course superintendent in the United States is 46.2 years old and earns $85,204, according to a survey by the Golf Course Superintendents Association of America. Superintendents who are “certified” earn 22 percent more: $103,993. The survey also determined that superintendents’ salaries have increased in every two-year period since the GCSAA began tracking the data, in 1993. Since the last survey, in 2013, “certified” superintendents have seen their salaries rise by 5.9 percent, while other superintendents posted a 3.2 percent gain.