Sporting activity is a popular recreational activity in Australia and is in accordance with the people’s outdoor lifestyle in the country. It has been recorded that over 30% of Australian population participate in sports for recreation or exercise, with nearly half of the population participating in organized sporting activities. Golf is one of the major sports within the sport and recreation industry in Australia and is ranked as one of the most prevalent sports among the people of Australia. During 2011-2012, golf ranked second after fitness/gym with total participation rate of 2.2% in terms of organized physical activity in Australia. In Australia, there are nearly 1,583 golf courses available for golfers in the country as in 2013.
The golf economy in Australia was around USD 3 billion in 2008 and has constantly shrinked in terms of the market size in the last six years due to declining golf participation rate all over the country. Golf which was once considered as a growing industry in Australia, has now been facing sudden changes in terms of the consumer choices, competition from new and high quality commercial golf courses among real estate developers and rivalry among various golf facilities for equity based membership, which hampered the participation rate of people in golf and golf industry size in Australia.
A trend was witnessed in the golf course membership fee market that many people are likely to continue as a social golfer (non-club member) rather than being club members. In 2013, 2 out of every 3 golfers in Australia, was a non club golfer who is socially playing the sport. A change was experienced in the average expenditure on golf equipment purchase since 2009, as the consumer expenditure on the golf related equipment and apparels witnessed a slow down. Another major issue which is currently prevailing in the golf economy is the land occupation as golf course and club requires huge land space, however, many clubs were forced to relocate at fringe areas due to growing nation population.
Apart from these issues, the environmental challenge in response to the cost of water and environmental protection by various golf clubs, club closures due financial pressure, high maintenance and administration expenses are few more issues that the golf industry is likely to experience in the near term.
The report titled Australia Golf Industry Outlook to 2018 - Increasing Baby Boomer Golfers to Impel Growth provides detailed overview on the golf Industry in Australia and will aid readers to identify the golf infrastructure, ongoing trends in the industry and anticipated growth in future depending upon changing industry dynamics in coming years. The report will help industry consultants, golf equipment and apparels manufacturing companies, suppliers and other stakeholders to align their market centric strategies according to ongoing and expected trends in the future.