Private Clubs

• Approximately 30% of all golf clubs in the US are private. This equates to 4,400 facilities.
• There are 2.1 million private golf players in the US. This is 9% of the adult golf-playing population. 6% of this population is considered mass affluent.
•  Economic influences on private clubs include consumer confidence, housing prices, and government spending.
• Private Clubs began experiencing declining revenues in 2009. To combat this they have reduced labor and operating costs, attempted to attract more members, deferred capital projects, reduced maintenance, eliminated little-used offerings, and extended the seasonal shut-down.
• The income from initiation fees has declined across the US between 25-50% at most private clubs.
•  8.5% of private clubs charge $5,000 in initiation fees. 7.3% charge $5-10,000, 8.2% charge $10-20,000, 5.9% charge $20-50,000, and 3.7% charge over $50,000.
• The demands of consumers on private clubs are changing. Consumers are now looking for family-centered activities, the opportunity to connect, outdoor adventure, healthy experiences, and interaction with a diverse range of people.
• The top three trends in food at private clubs are locally grown produce, bite-sized desserts, and organic produce.
• The total revenue for golf and country clubs in the US in 2019 was $24 billion.