For golf, it was another year, as an industry, where they hit it right down the middle.
The courses were once again as busy this year as they were in any other year. Last season they had huge success because it was one of the only sporting activities you could take part in, and this year it carried forward.
“Most golf courses have 85 per cent of their times taken up, or more,” said Golf Saskatchewan Executive Director and CEO Brian Lee.
A big measuring stick as to how popular your sport is is how many youth are taking it up. For golf, it was another big year for young players hitting the links, and also first-timers hitting the links, as well.
“If they come out and play three rounds, they usually get hooked for a lifetime,” says Lee. “That’s something that our sport can always maintain or hopefully maintain, is that young people continue to play and that becomes almost like a family legacy to play.”
With popularity comes revenue. Even though there aren’t any new course “builds” being announced yet, the courses are taking that revenue and investing it back into their business to enhance the experience on the course and the clubhouse.
“The golf courses are investing back. Like Rosthern. You have the Saskatoon Golf and Country Club,” says Scott Allan from Saskgolfer.com. “A beautiful new restaurant inside. A patio. You go to pretty much any facility, Dakota Dunes included, there is going to be something that the golfers will be like, ‘ok this wasn’t here last year!’ So the golf course is at least making it more fun more engaging.”
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