The National Golf Foundation asked American golfers why they are thankful for playing golf. Here are the results...
This Thanksgiving, the National Golf Foundation (NGF) has revealed that there are plenty of reasons to be thankful for golf.
In their latest American consumer survey, they asked golfers what they are most thankful for when it comes to golf. The NGF believed that what gives a person reason to be thankful is most likely what drives them to participate in the first place.
We all know how tough times have been over the last few years and for many of us golf has played a central role when it comes to mental, physical and social well-being.
The survey asked one simple question:
Please rank the following reasons why you’re thankful for playing golf:
- Social – spending time with friends/family, leagues, events
- Mental/Emotional – Well-being, escapism, stress relief, shot euphoria
- Physical – Exercise, getting outside, walking, burning calories, etc
- Competition – Beating opponents, posting a great score, improving
- Experiential – Making memories, travel, experiencing new courses
The NGF states that when it comes to play-to-play outdoor sports, none have a bigger participation pool than the 25 million+ Americans who will play golf at least once a year.
Unsurprisingly, the results revealed how golf is a sport that spans the generations but what was particularly interesting was how the responses differed depending on each age group.
The younger the golfer, the more important was the social side and the golf experience mattered. The older the golfer, it switched to the physical benefits becoming more important. Interestingly in the 35-49 age group it was the mental and emotional well-being that these golfers were more thankful for.
Overall, for the majority of golfers, it was the social benefits that ranked highest. Then followed by golf’s mental and physical benefits. Interestingly, and something that the NGF thinks that golf businesses should take on board, whilst competition is very important to some of the most avid golfers, the majority of consumers are driven to play for other reasons.
There is one thing that all age groups can agree on – golf is good for you!
This information was taken from an original article published by the National Golf Foundation - read it here.
