It's Official: Golf Good for the American Economy


A group that involves a collaboration of leading organizations representing all segments of the United States golf industry has announced that the game's charitable impact totaled $3.9 billion in 2011.

GOLF 2/20 and the National Golf Foundation conducted a study evaluating golf as a fundraising vehicle. The study estimated:

• 12,000 golf facilities (75 percent of the American total) participated;
• 143,000 events;
• 12 million participants;
• $26,300 average generated per function.

"Regardless of the economic climate, golf is a key driver of charitable giving in the U.S.," said Steve Mona, CEO of the World Golf Foundation, administrator of GOLF 20/20. "As a major focus of the golf industry, working with organizers of philanthropic events helps improve millions of lives."

Beneficiaries include health, youth, education, environmental and cultural groups nationally, regionally and locally.

More than 85 percent of organizations conducting golf events find them important because, in addition to raising significant funds, they are easy to organize and provide exposure and networking opportunities among supporters.

The charitable impact findings are based on qualitative calls and data collection from a coast-to-coast sampling of public and private golf facilities, and nonprofit organizations producing golf events.

Donations, including those from professional tournaments, are a significant part of the golf industry, which is comparable in size to the motion picture and video industries.

The above report is courtesy of GOLF 20/20. For more information about GOLF 20/20, visit www.golf2020.com.