What’s Right with Golf in the Coachella Valley, Eye Popping Statistics

by Coachella Valley | May 20, 2016 4:38 pm

I would like to share some eye-opening statistics about the golf industry that I suspect you didn’t realize

by Bob Marra

Welcome to the first edition of my blog focusing on golf in the Coachella Valley.

I am grateful to Craige and Meachele Campbell for the opportunity to be a positive voice for golf in the desert region via their exceptionally popular Coachella Valley Inc. media outlets.

Consumers of CoachellaValley.com are interested in so many things to see and do in the beautiful desert region and golf is certainly one of the featured amenities for which we are known worldwide.

Going forward I plan to cover essentially every aspect of golf in the Coachella Valley with the mission of helping visitors and locals understand more about the places to play, how to get the best deals at various times of the year, the rich golf history here, notable players at all levels who live here, ways for families and kids to enjoy desert golf and much more. So if you’re into golf and looking for more information about it in the Coachella Valley check back regularly because I plan to keep the articles coming.

In honor of National Golf Day that occurred this week I would like to share some eye-opening statistics about the golf industry that I suspect you didn’t realize. Below is some of the national industry data compiled by the research team of the National Golf Foundation. As you will see, the data is astounding and clearly shows that, to paraphrase a famous quote from Mark Twain, rumors of golf’s demise have been greatly exaggerated. In a future article I will provide some insights about the economic impacts of the Coachella Valley golf industry which are also extremely impressive and enlightening.

GOLF’S ECONOMIC BENEFITS

1. The golf industry impacts 2 million jobs in the U.S. and total wage income of $55.6 billion.
2. The total economic impact of golf in America has been measured at $176.8 billion, including golf’s direct, indirect and induced impacts.
3. Golf provides a direct economic impact of $70 billion.
4. The golf industry is larger than the motion picture and recording industries combined.

GOLF’S HUMAN BENEFITS

1. Golf generates $3.9 billion for charitable causes each year. The great majority of these funds are raised at thousands of fundraising events across the country designed to benefit local communities and their citizens.
2. Approximately 12,000 golf facilities nationwide hosted charitable events in 2011.
3. Golf teaches essential life skills to young people – sportsmanship, respect, integrity, honesty, self-control. These positive traits are shared with youngsters through youth development programs such as The First Tee and junior golf programs across the country.
4. Golf facilities provide a vital community service in offering a place to recreate and socialize, serving as a hub of community social interaction.

GOLF’S ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

1. There are over two million acres of green space on golf courses in the U.S.
2. A golf course is a healthy natural environment. The turfgrass on golf courses serves as a filter to runoff to control flooding; out of play areas offer wildlife habitat; trees and bushes filter dust and pollen; and the green space has a cooling effect on surrounding property.
3. Golf courses are professionally managed by individuals who have been educated, certified and/or licensed to ensure that the golf facilities are operated in an environmentally responsible manner.
4. The widespread benefits of golf course landscapes are delivered with the minimal use of water, with golf courses accounting for only one-half of one percent of U.S. annual water consumption.

 

Bob Marra is a director at the CareerBuilder Challenge PGA TOUR tournament, formerly the venerable Bob Hope Classic which was established in 1960. He is a long-time avid golfer with a single digit handicap whose favorite pursuit in the game is teaching his 11-year-old son Logan how to play it while also imparting on him many life lessons out on the course.

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