Weather Affects Golf Rounds in Minnesota in 2022

EDINA, Minn. (Dec. 23, 2022) – On behalf of its allied golf associations and its member golf clubs across the state, the Minnesota Golf Association has completed an annual facility rounds study to more accurately track golf participation in the state.

For the first time in four consecutive years of golf participation growth, golf facilities across all categories in Minnesota report a decrease in golf rounds over the previous year, by an average of 5.4 percent. Unfavorable weather, and not an absolute decline in golfer participation, is considered the most influential factor.

For 2022, the decrease in average rounds over the previous record year correlates highly with fewer playable weather days. According to Mike Malone, owner and operator of the Ridges at Sand Creek, playable weather days at the 18-hole public daily fee course in Jordan, Minn., were down 8.8 percent from 2021.

The MGA surveyed 358 golf facilities around the state, with 106 facilities reporting rounds over the last four years in the following categories: municipal, (43.0 percent reporting); private, (55.8 percent); public daily fee, (31.3 percent); and resort, (40.9 percent). †

“As we discovered during the pandemic, golf was one of the few sports or activities that all Minnesotans could safely participate in throughout the summer,” said Tom Ryan, MGA executive director and COO, adding, “even though rounds played were down this year compared to last, they are very close to 2020 numbers. This is an indicator that interest and enthusiasm in the game remains very high.”

Daily Fee

2019

2020

2021

2022

Avg. Rounds/Facility

19660

25904

25648

24802

% Change YOY

0.1%

31.8%

-1.0%

-3.3%

Municipal

2019

2020

2021

2022

Avg. Rounds/Facility

26430

33376

34672

33257

% Change YOY

2.8%

26.3%

3.9%

-4.1%

Private

2019

2020

2021

2022

Avg. Rounds/Facility

16388

22991

25057

23040

% Change YOY

-6.9%

40.3%

9.0%

-8.0%

Resort

2019

2020

2021

2022

Avg. Rounds/Facility

15830

17558

19764

18403

% Change YOY

1.6%

10.9%

12.6%

-6.9%

All Facilities

2019

2020

2021

2022

Avg. Rounds/Facility

21026

27152

28354

26811

% Change YOY

0.2%

29.1%

4.4%

-5.4%

Short Courses

2019

2020

2021

2022

Avg. Rounds/Facility

18244

24710

25704

24199

% Change YOY

3.1%

35.4%

4.0%

-5.9%

MGA members – approximately 83,000 golfers who play at public and private golf clubs around the state – posted about 101,000 fewer rounds in 2022, down 6.2 percent from 2021. While wetter-than-normal weather in April and May attributed to the slow start of the season, MGA members posted more rounds in the summer months than the same period last year, up nearly 3.9 percent for June, July and August of 2022. Likewise, MGA membership overall saw a slight increase over the previous year, up 0.5 percent. ††

“This year’s numbers during the heart of the season are an indicator that playing golf continues to check all the boxes: it’s played outdoors, and represents both a physically and mentally healthful activity that thousands of kids and their families can participate in together,” explained Ryan.

† 106 MGA golf facilities reported rounds for 2022, 8 percent more facilities reporting data in 2021.

†† There are 83,340 youth and adult MGA members for the period ending Oct. 31, 2022; MGA members posted 909,689 rounds for June, July and August of 2022, up 3.89 percent over the same period in 2021. The MGA score posting season for handicap purposes begins April 1 and runs through October.