The First Call 09-30-2022

FIRST THOUGHT

The 2022 golf season is turning the corner and heading down the homestretch. In terms of rounds played in the United States, the results were positive through the summer stretch. According to the National Golf Foundation, after being down as much as 10% YOY through April, the months of June, July and August brought improvement by between 3% and 4% over 2021. And compared with the record-setting pace of 2021, rounds played in 2022 are down just 2.6% through August.

> Question of the Week: Should LIV Golf events be awarded Official World Golf Ranking points — why or why not?

Send replies on this question or other topics to shall@buffalogroupe.com. For your response to be published, you must include first and last name, along with city and state of residence. Read last week's responses.

READ, WATCH, LISTEN

> LIV Golf denies report of deal to buy TV time on FS1
[Doug Ferguson | Associated Press | Read]

> PGA Tour countersues LIV Golf, claiming interference with player contracts
[Alex Miceli | Sports Illustrated | Read]

> X-Golf tops 100-location milestone for its indoor simulator experience
[Erik Matuszewski | Forbes | Read]

> SBJ Marketing: What will it take for brands to enter LIV Golf?
[Terry Lefton | Sports Business Journal | Read ($)]

> Clubessential Holdings buys BlueGolf, launches business unit for golf technology
[Meg Erpenbeck | The Business Journals / Cincy Inno | Read]

THE INDUSTRY

U.S. Kids Golf to exhibit at 2023 PGA Show

Company will present its annual U.S. Kids Top 50 Golf Coaches awards during a special program and reception during PGA Show week

Arcis Golf transforms The Golf Club at Fossil Creek

Major facilities, golf course renovations completed at Fort Worth, Texas, daily fee club

Majority of Puerto Rico’s 18 courses open after Hurricane Fiona

Area hotels, resorts also welcoming guests and fully operational; airports and cruise ports also open

Avon Fields GC's Ron Dumas to receive NAACP award

NAACP Cincinnati Chapter’s President’s Award honors local golf teaching professional for impact on community

ICYMI

Why robots have a future in golf

From picking up balls to mowing fairways to delivering food at the turn, automated machinery is making golf course operations more efficient

#QOTD

"Hurricane season brings a humbling reminder that, despite our technologies, most of nature remains unpredictable."

— Diane Ackerman

ROUNDS AND WEATHER

> Rounds played finished this past week up 3% vs. 2021, due to decreased rainfall (-48%) in all regions of the country, excluding Florida. The Northeast and Mid-Atlantic regions had the largest YoY growth in total rounds.

> Florida was the only region that had increased rainfall YoY, which resulted in a -5% decrease in rounds played vs. last year.

> More golfers are returning to GolfNow than in previous years. Reactivated bookers have seen an increase of 26% versus 2021.

> Positive performance is expected from the Great Plains and North regions. Both areas on pace to finish up vs. 2021 by over 20% the next five days.

TUNING IN

DP World Tour: Alfred Dunhill Links Championship
Site: St. Andrews, Carnoustie Golf Links, Kingsbarns Golf Links, St. Andrews, Scotland.
Television: Today-Saturday, 7 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel); Sunday, 6:30 a.m. to noon (Golf Channel).
Leaderboard

PGA Tour: Sanderson Farms Championship
Site: Country Club of Jackson, Jackson, Mississippi.
Television: Today, 3:30-6 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 4-7 p.m. (Golf Channel).
GCSAA Fact Sheet | Leaderboard

LPGA Tour: The Ascendant LPGA
Site: Old American Golf Club, The Colony, Texas.
Television: Today, 12:30-3:30 p.m. (Golf Channel); Saturday-Sunday, 1-4 p.m. (Golf Channel).
GCSAA Fact Sheet | Leaderboard

CALENDAR

OCTOBER
11-13: Golf Inc. Strategies Summit, Kiawah Island, S.C. | Info
26: Fore Hire Virtual Job Fair | Info

NOVEMBER
6-9: International Association of Golf Administrators, Point Clear, Ala. | Info

JANUARY
23-25: Golf Business Conference, Orlando, Fla.
24-27: PGA Show, Orlando, Fla. | Info

FEBRUARY
6-9: GCSAA Conference and Trade Show, Orlando, Fla. | Info
10-12: West Michigan Golf Show, Grand Rapids, Mich. | Info

To submit events for the calendar, please include the event name, date, location and informational link to info@firstcallgolf.com.

THE LAST CALL

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