Golf is growing in China, and 2012 was a good year for golf in the country. The number of golfers has grown 16% since 2011, and 38% of China’s total number of golfers are now classified as Core Golfers (those playing at least 8 rounds per year).  Rounds were also up 8%, totaling more than 11.5 million for the year. With golf still in its infancy, opportunities for growth clearly exist in the market.

The 2012 China Golf Report, a 140-page market research report compiled by NGF-affiliate Forward Management Group (FMG), is required reading for any golf business currently in the market, or any organization considering China as an opportunity to expand.

The 2012 China Golf Report goes beyond previous editions in scope of included materials and topics, making it the most comprehensive state-of-the-industry report on China we have offered thus far. The report includes updated information on data from previous reports:

• Data on golfers’ participation levels, rounds played, and consumer behavior
• The number of current facilities and golf projects in China
• Annual revenues for sampled golf facilities

The 2012 report also includes a range of expanded and newly explored topics, such as:

• The application of  NGF’s “Pyramid of Golf” to the Chinese golf population, providing statistics on key metrics of the game across various golfer types (Avid, Moderate, Occasional)
• Detailed explanations behind golf tourism trends in China, including favored destinations, annual travel and accommodation expenses, and the prevalence of travel agency involvement in trip-planning
• Analyses on how heightened social concerns for environmental consciousness on Chinese golf courses have led to increased budgeting for environmental planning
• Data describing pesticide and fertilizer preferences and usage on Chinese golf courses compared to the U.S.
• Details on the growing number of professional events in China and analyses on tournament locations, payouts, sponsors and participation
• Data on Chinese female professional golfers, including growth in competitiveness, sources of commercial sponsorships and preferred equipment brands
• Summaries of golf club membership trends, common causes of member-club legal disputes, and the role of members and executive boards in club decision-making

Data included in this report is based on research from several sources, including: survey questionnaires distributed to facility general managers, superintendents, and others in managerial positions; detailed survey questionnaires tailored to professional and amateur Chinese golfers; information published by Chinese golf associations and golf-related media outlets; Chinese statistical bureaus; and FMG’s primary database.  NGF has reviewed the report in order to make the data, figures, and explanatory language more practical for readers in the U.S.

Click here to order your copy.