November national rounds played were up 1.2% vs. the same month year ago, and year to date they are up half a percent.  Unless something unusual happens weather wise in December, the golf industry is on track for it’s second consecutive year of improvement in rounds played.  In 2015 rounds grew by 1.5%, and it looks like we’ll be up for the third time in the past five years.  Not an explosive growth trend, but far from the disaster many in the media like to portray.

November’s growth was propelled by some significant improvements in the mid section of the US which featured mild temps and some good fall golf for the second consecutive year, while the two coasts both struggled due to increased precipitation.

Perhaps the demise of golf has been overstated?  Rounds played suggest that may be so.