But a day of “education sessions” shined the light on a number of issues facing the golf industry, including a drop in rounds played, the threat from online tee-time consolidators driving green fee prices down, and lagging interest in the game by the younger players key to the future of the industry. Also, this observer has to say that there sure seemed to be a lot of duplication of product offerings. There sure seemed to be a lot of exhibitors in the turf enhancement business, for example.
Last year, the net number of 18 hole golf courses in the U.S. declined by 61. Some industry officials are predicting closures of between 100 and 200 golf courses this year, some of them almost assuredly in golf communities. Unless the economy makes a dramatic turnaround, and banks ease up on their lending standards for golf courses at risk, next year’s show could look a lot different.