Tuesday, September 01, 2009

GNN Reports NAGA Canadian Golf Economic Impact

The August 19, 2009 issue of the Golf News Now (GNN) email newsletter reported on a massive economic impact study focused on Canadian golf. The National Allied Golf Association (NAGA) released the study, conducted by Strategic Networks Group Inc.

According to the GNN article, the study was conducted in 2008 and was “designed to provide new evidence of the economic significance of the sport.” The study included “more than 4,000 golfers and 350 golf courses in 10 provinces and three territories.”

I’ve included the entire article below, within which some of the key findings are noted in bullet form. You can also find it online at the GNN website here.



NAGA Unveils Economic Impact Study

August 18, 2009 by Ian Hutchinson

The National Allied Golf Association has released its findings from a nationwide study conducted by the Strategic Networks Group Inc. that included more than 4,000 golfers and 350 golf courses in 10 provinces and three territories.

The study, conducted in 2008, was designed to provide new evidence of the economic significance of the sport to the Canadian, provincial and territorial economies.

The findings include all goods and services that are directly and indirectly related to the game and other spin-off economic impacts such as employment and household income at the national, provincial and territorial levels.

The study of golfers is considered accurate to within 1.55 percentage points 19 times out of 20 and the data is adjusted based on an estimated 5.9-million golfers in Canada, according to SNG. The golf course results are considered accurate to within 4.76 per cent 19 times out of 20 and adjusted to the roughly 2,397 courses in Canada.

An executive summary of the study reveals these annual numbers:

Golf accounts for $11.3-billion of Canada’s Gross Domestic Product, including 341,794 jobs, $7.6-billion in household income, $1.2-billion in property and other taxes and $1.9-billion in income taxes.

Canadian golf generates an estimated $29.4-billion in gross direct, indirect and induced spending, while the total direct sales from the industry is $13.6-billion, including $4.7-billion directly from golf courses, facilities, and driving ranges, which is comparable to all other participation sports and recreation facilities combined.

Over 200,000 hectares of green space are managed by golf course operators, including 41,000 hectares of unmanaged wildlife habitat being under golf course stewardship.

Approximately 70-million rounds were played in 2008, a numbers that is as much as 10 per cent lower than the average from previous years.

The Canadian golf industry provides opportunities with 43 per cent of those employed at golf courses being students.

Golf offers higher home values with houses located on golf courses higher than those not adjacent to courses. The total impact on home values in Canada is $1.4-billion.

Each year, there are at least 25,000 charitable events at Canadian golf courses that raise more than $439-million for charity.

Golf is a part of more than 1-million trips by Canadians who spend an estimated $1.9-billion annually on golf-related travel within this country.


No comments: