Longitudes Group Announces 2023 Golf Travel Research Report

40% of Women are More Likely to Spend ‘Significantly’ on Golf Travel in the Next Year According to the Report

(PORTLAND, Ore.) - Longitudes Group LLC, a Buffalo Groupe company, announced the release of the 2023 Golf Travel Research Report. The report delivers the industry’s definitive research on where golfers are going and how are they influenced to travel, including how golfers have continued to increase spending via continued pent-up demand as they have enthusiastically taken their game on the road in 2023.

Key Findings:

• 44% plan to spend more on golf travel this year – with 12% planning to spend “significantly more.”

• 78% have taken at least one golf-focused trip in the last 12 months.

• 58% of Golf travelers go directly to the resort or course website when researching where to stay and play.

• Women are 40% more likely to spend significantly on golf travel this year. They also are 2X more likely than men to budget $10,000+ on golf trips annually.

“It is no secret that golf is booming but little has been done to dig into how the rise in interest has impacted golf travel,” says Sara Killeen, Managing Director of Longitudes Group. “Golfers are treating themselves given their hearty budgets of both time and money, to weave golf into their travel plans this year. It’s about escape, adventure and there is no holding them back.”

The 2023 Golf Travel Research Report provides golf industry stakeholders with the latest insights on things related to travel for active golf consumers. It will enable travel industry stakeholders and golf destinations to make informed decisions to grow their business this season. You can purchase the 32-page report at www.longitudesgroup.com for $800.

The research for this report is derived from Longitudes Group’s ‘Spenders & Players’ golfer panel and The First Call subscribers. The respondents are active spenders and players in the game and an important bellwether for golf travel trends. The results in the report are culled from the survey of 411 respondents fielded in early Summer of 2023.

About Longitudes Group, a Buffalo Groupe Company

Longitudes Group, based in Portland, Oregon, is part of the Buffalo Groupe research division providing unique analysis on the travel and spending behaviors of avid golfers in the US and Canada. Armed with the Spenders and Players panel and a separate database containing information on the spending behavior of 5.5 million avid golfers and 25M total golfers mapped by county and zip code, Longitudes Group uses a geo-demographic approach to probe both the location and purchase behavior of the avid golfer population. On the supply side beyond travel, Longitudes Group has built the most up-to-date database of golf retailers including 14,200 golf facilities, 1,300 off-course retail stores and 1,700 chain sporting goods store.

For more information about Longitudes Group and this research, please visit www.longitudesgroup.com For more information about Buffalo Groupe and its collective of marketing agencies, please visit www.buffalogroupe.com/

Contact:

Sara Killeen, Managing Director (503) 477-6284

Sara@longitudesgroup.com

Longitudes Group | A Buffalo Groupe Company releases 2022 Off-Course Golf Specialty Report

Longitudes Group 2022 Off-Course Market Trends Report
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FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 20, 2022

2022 Off-Course Retail Report Shows Retail Market Trends as the Golf Industry Stabilizes

Portland, OR – Longitudes Group today announced the release of its 2022 Market Trend Report on USA Off-Course Golf retail.  The channel continues to be cut-throat as the major retail chains along with the club-fitting specialists, have expanded the number of locations since the golf surge during the Covid-19 pandemic.  The retailers who were opening new locations were led by Club Champion and PGA Tour Superstores.  The specialty golf channel is now dominated by the national chains.  62% of all square footage and 18% of the door counts are owned by multi-door retailers with store footprints over 10,000 square feet.

First released in 2004, Longitudes Group tracks the growth and contraction of the Off-Course retail market with this bi-annual report.  In the overall Off-course retail segment, 2022 brings good news for golfers and channel growth both in terms of square foot expansion and technology-driven retail experiences. Big Box chains were the lion’s share of the square footage growth with PGA Tour Superstores aggressively opening gigantic stores in key markets.

Key findings of the current research include:

  • Between 2019 and 2022:

    • Off-course golf retail door count is up 16%

    • Off-course retail square footage up 19%

  • The total off-course market value is $1.7 Billion

  • Since 2019, total market value is up 28% in the off-course channel

“The market has been in a significant state of flux making both retailers and manufacturers bullish as significant amounts of market share have been up for grabs in these last three golf seasons of big growth,” states Sara Killeen, President of Longitudes Group.  “The coming year will be a horse race with varying strategies between the largest retail chains.  Some will seek to win market share at all costs while others pursue financial stability via careful investing.” 

The Research

Calls to retailers were conducted via Longitudes Group outbound research and call center, based in Portland, Oregon.  These annual online and phone surveys establish a baseline count of stores, store size, and product categories carried. Retailers that have gone out of business, moved locations, are removed from the off-course specialty database or updated.  The definition of the off-course golf retail store model is a brick and mortar store with its primary business being the sale of branded and pro-line golf equipment, accessories and soft goods at a location not adjacent to a golf course.

For further information on the preparation of a custom analysis please contact Longitudes Group at (503) 477-6284.

Longitudes Group, a Buffalo Groupe company, is headquartered in Portland, Oregon.  Over the last twenty years since its founding, it has provided unique analysis on the spending and travel behaviors of avid golfers in the US and Canada. Armed with a database containing information on the behavior of 5 million avid golfers mapped by county and zip code, Longitudes Group uses a geo-demographic approach to probe both the location and purchase behavior of the avid golfer population.  On the supply side, Longitudes Group has built the most up-to-date database of golf retailers including 14,700 golf facilities, 1,169 off-course retail stores and 1,435 chain sporting goods stores.  For more information, visit the company online at www.longitudesgroup.com. 

Contact Info:

Sara Killeen, Managing Director
sara@longitudesgroup.com
(503) 477-6284

Buffalo Groupe, LLC & Longitudes Group Expand Research Offerings with Another Acquisition

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

October 5, 2022

 

MEDIA CONTACT:

Lauren Nodzak

Buffalo Agency

lnodzak@buffalo.agency

(571) 565-5296

 

 

 

Buffalo Groupe, LLC Expands Research Offerings with Acquisition of Sports Marketing Surveys USA

 

 

(Charleston, S.C.) – Buffalo Groupe, LLC, a collection of agencies, events and media properties, expands its research capabilities with the acquisition of Sports Marketing Surveys USA, the industry leader in sports research. Together with Longitudes Group, who joined Buffalo in January 2021, Sports Marketing Surveys USA (SMS), along with its ActionWatch subsidiary, will merge complementary capabilities offering clients a full range of research, analysis and insights into the purchase journey and behaviors of consumer in outdoor sports, including golf, tennis, running, surfing and skateboarding.

 

“Buffalo Groupe is a marketing company built on a deep understanding of the golf and related audiences,” said Kyle Ragsdale, CEO, Buffalo Groupe. “SMS and ActionWatch bring decades of leading sports industry research and insights that will greatly expand Buffalo’s capabilities both in golf and to the broader outdoor and ‘escape’ categories. We are excited to welcome the SMS team to Buffalo.”

 

Sports Marketing Surveys USA and ActionWatch provide a full range of quantitative and qualitative approaches, offering comprehensive analysis in more than 100 sports. With planned investments in technology combined with Buffalo’s world class marketing capabilities, current and future clients will be supported in all aspects of the demand creation process including segments, personas, targeting, campaign creation, measurement and predictive modeling.

 

“We are impressed by Buffalo Groupe’s vision and look forward to joining their collection of companies,” said Keith Storey, President of Sports Marketing Surveys USA. “Their expertise will help us further develop our offering while staying true to our key strengths as a business. The ways in which America plays and exercises are constantly evolving, and arguably the nation has never been more active. We are excited for the future of the sports industry and excited to support that future as part of Buffalo Groupe.”

 

Sports Marketing Surveys USA will now be known as Sports Marketing Surveys USA, a Buffalo Groupe Company, with headquarters remaining in Jupiter, Florida. SMS USA will also continue to collaborate closely with Sporting Insights, the new identity of Sports Marketing Surveys Inc (headquartered in the UK), to offer global insights.

 

Clare Advisors served as exclusive financial advisor to Buffalo Groupe on the transaction.

 

About Buffalo Groupe, LLC

Buffalo Groupe, LLC is a collection of agencies, events and media properties that authentically serve the escape industries of golf, outdoor recreation, travel, lifestyle, real estate and active sport.  The collection is comprised of industry leading companies including Buffalo Agency, BGRM, 54 Brands, Longitudes Group, The First Call and Moments Live. Guided by our core principles of kindness, clarity and courage, our people adhere to a Groupe-wide foundational philosophy to connect brands and lifestyle audiences through content. Buffalo Groupe is headquartered in Charleston, SC with company offices in Washington, DC, Charlotte, Charleston, Portland and LA. For more information visit www.buffalogroupe.com.

 

About Sports Marketing Surveys USA

For over 35 years, Sports Marketing Surveys USA has provided trusted, market-leading research from junior and pick-up play to elite sport. Its annual participation research on behalf of PAC is considered the gold standard, while other key services include equipment sell-in and sell-through monitors in multiple sports. The company also offers a full range of bespoke research services. For more information, visit www.sportsmarketingsurveysusa.com

 

About Longitudes Group:

Longitudes Group, LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a research and marketing company

providing unique analysis on the travel and spending behaviors of active, fresh-air-seeking consumers in the US, UK, Japan, Korea and Canada. Longitudes Group started with a proprietary golfer model built by Dr. John Rooney of Oklahoma State University and partnering with Sara Killeen’s vision of modeling the spending behavior of 5+ million avid golfers mapped by county and zip code. The company has grown and now provides a broad range of market insights built on a foundation of the geography of specific sports, related participation, retail spending and demographics. Longitudes Group serves stakeholders in fitness and outdoor sports along with its deep roots in golf and travel.

 

For more information about Longitudes Group please visit www.longitudesgroup.com

 

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Buffalo Groupe, LLC, Announces the Acquisition of Longitudes Group

MEDIA CONTACT:
Stephen Reynolds
Buffalo Agency
sreynolds@buffalo.agency
(703) 344-6031

 
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RESTON, Va.) – Buffalo Groupe, LLC has expanded its research capabilities with the acquisition of Longitudes Group, an industry leading sports marketing research and consulting company based in Portland, Oregon. Longitudes Group, a pioneer in geographic-based demographic research in golf, fitness, outdoor sports and travel, is the fourth acquisition since Buffalo Groupe was founded in February 2019.  

“Longitudes Group has been leading the way in sports marketing research for nearly 20 years and their passion, philosophy and focus on escape industries made them the perfect addition to Buffalo Groupe and the agencies and media properties in our Collective,” said Kyle Ragsdale, CEO, Buffalo Groupe. “Data and insights are fundamental to any work we do with our clients.  Sara and the team at Longitudes Group will greatly enhance our capabilities as we guide brands to authentic and knowledgeable connections to their consumers.”

“At Longitudes Group we have been serving our clients with a unique view and foundation for high impact planning and action,” said Sara Killeen, Managing Director, Longitudes Group.  “Joining Buffalo Groupe strengthens our connection to the full marketing process allowing research and insights to best serve our clients. Buffalo’s vision and approach complements ours and I couldn’t be more excited to see what we can build together.”

Longitudes Group will now be known as Longitudes Group, a Buffalo Groupe Company, with Killeen continuing to lead as Managing Director. The company will remain headquartered in Portland.

About Longitudes Group:

Longitudes Group, LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a research and marketing company providing unique analysis on the travel and spending behaviors of active, fresh-air-seeking consumers in the US, UK and Canada. Longitudes Group started with a proprietary golfer model built by Dr. John Rooney and Dr. Steve Tweedie of Oklahoma State University containing information on the behavior of 5+ million avid golfers mapped by county and zip code. The company has grown and now provides a broad range of market insights built on a foundation of the geography of specific sports, related participation, spending and demographics. Longitudes Group serves stakeholders in fitness and outdoor sports along with its deep roots in golf and travel. 

About Buffalo Groupe, LLC

Buffalo Groupe, LLC is a collection of agencies and media properties that authentically serve the escape industries of golf, outdoor recreation, travel, lifestyle, real estate and active sport.  The collection is comprised of industry leading companies including Buffalo Agency, Rawle Murdy, 54 Brands, Longitudes Group and Morning Read. Guided by our core principles of kindness, clarity and courage, our people adhere to a Groupe-wide foundational philosophy to connect brands and lifestyle audiences through content. Buffalo Groupe is headquartered in Washington, DC with company offices in Charlotte, Charleston, Portland and LA. 

For more information visit www.buffalogroupe.com. 

Longitudes Group Releases 2020 Green Grass Top-Targets Database

With over 15,000 Green Grass accounts in the US, Longitudes Group provides a database to make sense of it all.

PORTLAND, Ore. (February 3, 2020) - Longitudes Group LLC, a leading independent sports research company, announced the release of its 2020 Green Grass Top-Targets Database. The database captures over 15,000 Green Grass locations rating each locations A thru D in both Soft & Hard-Goods.

The ABC’s of Top-Target Green Grass Doors

Not all doors are created equal.  Getting into the right shops for your brand is critical to growing your business. Longitudes Group has taken out the guess work with a comprehensive database identifying the list of Top-Targets for sales organizations.  Longitudes Group offers a total of 6 reports in total depending on your needs.  

Soft-Goods Database:

Hard-Goods Database:

ABC Definitions & Total Retail Sales Volume Estimates

A:   Vibrant apparel, hard goods, balls, accessories $400,000 or more total retail sales volume (less in the middle of the country or smaller towns / much more around the coasts, mega metro areas and key resort areas) 

B:    Hard-goods, golf balls, accessories, possibly a very basic apparel business. $50,000 - $399,999

C:   Golf balls, wedges, putters, some accessories (<$50,000) 

D:   Low value retail opportunity, unless it's a high rounds course and they sell some golf balls (< $10,000) 

Report Data Includes: There are over 30 data variables included in the database listing

  • Facility Name

  • Complete Address

  • Phone Number

  • Geocoding (Lat and Lon)

  • Facility Type (Public / Private)

  • Top Target Assignments (A, B, C, D)

  • Geographic variables (DMA, CBSA Metro, County)

  • Management Company 

And many more…. If you would like to see a sample of our Top-Targets Database please email us at eric.stanton@longitudesgroup.com

Additional services include: (please inquire for custom pricing)

  •  Account Matching: Longitudes Group matches your company's current accounts to the LG Top-Targets list.

  • Advantages: Measure golf facility penetration by metro area or sales territory. Drive your distribution strategy by measuring sales productivity for each Top-Target segment.

  • Sales Rep Appending: LG appends Top-Targets prospect list for each sales territory or sales rep. 

  • Advantages: Your Sales team is immediately armed with a valuable list for sales team to hit Top-Targets locally and regionally.

Please feel free to contact Longitudes Group via email at eric.stanton@longitudesgroup.com if you have a questions about the reports or if you would prefer a different payment method.

Longitudes Group Makes Available Its First Pickleball Distribution Report

Pickleball is one of Americas fastest growing sports with over 3 million participants. Fun, inexpensive, with over 5,000 locations and over 18,000 courts.

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (January 22, 2019) - Longitudes Group LLC, a leading independent sports research company, announced the release of the Pickleball Location Report. The report captures over 5,000 locations with over 18,000 courts.

When growing, expanding or maintaining a business, knowing where to target is key to sales and marketing.  Longitudes Group has built a reputation for providing the most comprehensive geo list of Golf and Fitness locations in the US and Canada and is excited about expanding into Pickleball.

PICKLEBALL GROWTH

Pickleball, invented 53 years ago has recently become one of the fastest growing sports in America.  With a relatively low cost to enter the sport and a fast-growing number of locations to play, Pickleball has become an alternative to other more traditional sports. The Sports & Fitness Association (SFIA) has stated in their 2018 SFIA Topline Report that Pickleball participation is currently over 3.1 million players in the US.  That is an increase of 11.3% over 2017. And a 3 year average growth of 8.5%. On the supply side over 1,000 Pickleball locations have been opened in the last year, a 25% increase.

REPORT FINDINGS 

Pickleball locations aren’t just concentrated in metropolitan areas with high baby boomers.  Many have thought that the highest concentration is in areas with retirement communities. Our report finds that some of the top metros have solid demographics for families.

TOP 10 PICKLEBALL METROS

TOP 20 PICKLEBALL STATES

PICKLEBALL LOCATIONS / DISTRIBUTION DATABASE

With over 5,000 locations in the Longitudes Group Pickleball database, customers can use this list for competitive analysis, sales planning, marketing and mapping. The data set includes locations, court counts, court type (indoor/outdoor), phone numbers and location type (public/private). Longitudes Group tracks court openings and closings in the US annually. Constantly maintained, the Longitudes Group Pickleball database provides easy to access insights on these locations. In partnership with our GIS partner, Tactician, Longitudes Group helps brands identify under-served markets and key target areas for growth. If interested in custom Pickleball mapping, please contact us for more details.

You can purchase the entire US report at longitudesgroup.com for $2,000 or contact us about purchasing individual states or regions starting at $300. Click here to purchase

Report Data:

  • Location Name

  • Complete Address

  • Phone Number

  • Geocoding (Lat and Lon)

  • Location Type (Public / Private)

  • Court Type (Indoor / Outdoor)*

  • Court Counts by Type

Enhanced Option:

  • Custom Mapping

*Pickleball courts are defined as dedicated Pickleball courts designed specifically for the sport of Pickleball and a combination of spaces that have been adapted and/or shared with other court sports like basketball/tennis.

About Longitudes Group LLC

Longitudes Group, LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a research and marketing company providing unique analysis on the travel and spending behaviors in the Sports and Fitness industry in the US, UK and Canada. Longitudes Group provides quantitative and qualitative analysis for companies armed with unique consumer panels to generate information on leisure-time spending and consumer behavior.  On the supply side, Longitudes Group has built the most up-to-date database for retailers including 15,000 golf facilities, 19,000 fitness facilities and over 2,000 sports retail locations. 

For more information about Longitudes Group please visit www.longitudesgroup.com

 

Contact: 

Sara Killeen, President                                    Eric Stanton, VP Sales & Marketing       
(503) 477-6284                                              (503) 475-7970                       

Sara@longitudesgroup.com                        Eric.Stanton@longitudesgroup.com   

Longitudes Group Launches Its First Resort & Private Club Amenities Distribution Report

Over 4,400 Tennis, Fitness, and Aquatics locations addressing the demands of private club members and their families. Learn where these opportunities exist.

PORTLAND, Ore. (January 22, 2019) - Longitudes Group LLC, a leading independent sports research company, announced the release of the industry’s first ever Resort and Private Club Amenities DistributionReport. 

Longitudes Group, with a long history in the golf industry, has captured extensive details on individual golf and country club amenity offerings. The facility database includes every resort and private club in the US that has golf, tennis, fitness, and aquatic facilities as well as on-site pro shops where golf and/or tennis merchandise is sold.

DISTRIBUTION DATABASE

Longitudes Group database includes over 1,900 Tennis, 1,300 Fitness, and 2,000 Aquatic locations. This further includes 12,600 Tennis courts and 850+ stand alone Tennis Pro Shop locations.  All locations include account quality ratings (A-D), phone numbers, website and location type (public/private/resort).  Corporate customers use the database for competitive analysis, sales planning, B2B marketing and territory mapping. 

Longitudes Group tracks the openings and closings of private clubs in the US annually. Constantly maintained, the Longitudes Group Private Club Amenities database provides deep local insights on these locations. In partnership with our GIS partner, Tactician, Longitudes Group helps brands identify under-served markets and key target areas for growth. If interested, custom mapping is available, please contact us for details.

You can purchase the entire report, which includes Tennis, Fitness and Aquatics for $2,600 Click here to purchase  

You can purchase each amenity separately for $1,200. 

Click here to purchase Tennis  

Click here to purchase Fitness

For additional details please contact at Longitudesgroup.com. 

Report Data: (Both Tennis and Fitness reports)

·      Location Name

·      Complete Address

·      Phone Number

·      Website

·      Club Type (Private / Resort)

·      Account Quality Rating (A-D)

·      Management Company 

·      CBSA/DMA, Metropolitan Area/ID

·      County Name/ID

·      State ID

·      Geocoding (Lat and Lon)

·      Tennis Court Counts by location - (Tennis only report)

·      Tennis Pro-Shop Locations - (Tennis only report)

Enhanced Options: (Both Tennis and Fitness reports)

·      Custom Mapping

 About Longitudes Group LLC

Longitudes Group, LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a research and marketing company providing unique analysis on the travel and spending behaviors in the Sports and Fitness industry in the US, UK and Canada. Longitudes Group provides quantitative and qualitative analysis for companies armed with unique consumer panels to generate information on consumer leisure-time behavior.  On the supply side, Longitudes Group has built the most up-to-date database for golf and fitness industry stakeholders including 15,000 golf facilities, 19,000 fitness facilities, 685 off-course retail stores and 1,800 chain sporting goods stores.

For more information about Longitudes Group please visit www.longitudesgroup.com

Contact: 

Sara Killeen, President                                    Eric Stanton, VP Sales & Marketing       
(503) 477-6284                                                (503) 475-7970                       

Sara@longitudesgroup.com                         Eric.Stanton@longitudesgroup.com   

Longitudes Group publishes Women’s Avid Golfer Insights 2018

Dominating the household purchasing decisions, the golf industry may be missing the mark with this group of avid females.  Shocking brand shift reveals these woman take matters of performance into their own hands.

PORTLAND, Ore. (February 7, 2018) - Longitudes Group LLC, a leading independent sports research company, announced the release of the Women’s Avid Golfer Insights 2018 Report. The report captures the avid female golfers' economic power and obsession with the sport while sharing perspectives on the game heading into the 2018 season.  83% of the female golfers' in this study are considered avid, defined as playing a minimum of 25 rounds of golf annually.  Longitudes Group’s goal was to survey this avid segment with significant financial clout to gain insights about their life and golfing universe.

45 page report contents:

  • Executive Summary - Methodology - Key Insights - Research Goals
  • Golfographics
  • Self Identity - Commitments - Triggers - Pain Points
  • Role of Technology
  • Golf Travel
  • Activity/Media Patterns
  • Personal Economic Outlook
  • Demographics

Key findings include:

·       Household income doesn’t drive rounds to the extent of life stage and available free time.  Female Boomers energy levels and highly independent spending acumen are increasing, not decreasing.

·       Surprise, the #1 most preferred golf ball brand isn’t the one you thought. Callaway slips past Titleist as the #1 most preferred golf ball for female avid golfers.  In a first for golf balls across any golfer segment in decades, 39% of female avids stated that Callaway was their favorite golf ball, three percentage points over Titleist at 36%.

·       Boomers are more tech savvy than assumed by their children and grandchildren.  They use multiple devices, track their yardages and daily steps on smart watches, and don’t go anywhere without their smartphones.  Perhaps it’s best to market to this group as economically powerful individuals versus worn-out stereotypes. 

·       Over 90% of avid female golfers follow some level of sports regularly.  These zealous enthusiasts follow all the major US golf tours while also keeping up on the NFL, MLB baseball, the Olympics and NHL hockey.

·       25% of avid females who earn under $100k are highly skilled golfers, the highest percentage of all income segments. Golf is #1 in their life and they are addicted to the game.  Tighter budgets fuel their passion and sharpen their careful choices around playing, spending and engaging in the game.

“ “Female avid golfers influence both the women…and men…in their lives whom they pair-up with for many dozens of rounds annually,” shared Sara Killeen, President of Longitudes Group. “The research delivers some surprises around the triggers for these golf zealots and the brands they open their wallet to. They are making different choices than their male counterparts, empowered by what helps them play better and ultimately, have more fun.””

The Women’s Avid Golfer Insights 2018 Report will provide golf industry stakeholders with the latest insights on things related to the female golfer and her economic and emotional relationship to the game.  It will enable marketers to make informed decisions to grow their women’s business this season. You can purchase the 45-page report at longitudesgroup.com for $850. Buy here

The research is derived from Longitudes Group’s proprietary Golf S&P™: Spenders & Players golfer panel powered by a volunteer database of GolfNow’s more than 3 million registered users.  The Golf S&P™ panel includes 18,000 active spenders and players in the game and the panel is growing every quarter. The results in the report are culled from the survey of 563 female respondents fielded in high season 2017.

About Longitudes Group LLC

Longitudes Group, LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a research and marketing company providing unique analysis on the travel and spending behaviors of avid golfers in the US, UK and Canada. Armed with the Golf S&P™:  Spenders and Players panel and a separate database containing information on the behavior of 5.2 million avid golfers mapped by county and zip code, Longitudes Group uses a geo-demographic approach to probe both the location and purchase behavior of the avid golfer population.  On the supply side, Longitudes Group has built the most up-to-date database of golf retailers including 15,000 golf facilities, 685 off-course retail stores and 1,700 chain sporting goods stores.

For more information about Longitudes Group and the Golf S&P™ Panel, please visit www.longitudesgroup.com

Contact:

Sara Killeen, President                                    Eric Stanton, Vice President of Marketing      
(503) 477-6284                                               (503) 475-7970                      

Sara@longitudesgroup.com                           Eric.Stanton@longitudesgroup.com   

Longitudes Group Announces 2017 Golf Travel Research

Golf Travelers reveal insightful trends and habits driving growth in spring travel

 

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 20, 2017) - Longitudes Group LLC, a leading independent sports research company, announced the release of the 2017 Golf Travel Research Report. The report captures how golfers across all major metropolitan areas have traveled in the past and how they plan to travel in the next 12 months.

Key findings include:

·       72% of Avid Golfers in the survey who play more then 21 rounds annually took two or more trips.

·       35% of High Budget Golf travelers book 3 to 6 months in advance.

·       Golf travelers rank spouse/partner at 57% as their preferred travel companion over friends, other relatives or business associates.

·       Women in golfing households have a growing influence on the spending decisions and plans for golf travel.

“Golfers are extremely optimistic about how much they can afford, both time and money, to weave golf into their travel plans this year,” shared Sara Killeen, President of Longitudes Group. “With housing values and IRAs on the rise, there is an economic confidence fueling the desire.”

The 2017 Golf Travel Research Report will provide golf industry stakeholders with the latest insights on things related to travel for active golf consumers.  The research answers the question – Where are golfers going and how are they influenced to travel?  It will enable travel industry stakeholders and golf destinations to make informed decisions to grow their business this season. You can purchase the 49 page report at longitudesgroup.com for $499.  Buy here

 

The research is derived from Longitudes Group’s proprietary Golf S&P™: Spenders & Players golfer panel powered by a volunteer database of GolfNow’s more than 3 million registered users.  The Golf S&P™ panel includes 13,000 active spenders and players in the game and the panel is growing in size every quarter. The results in the report are culled from the survey of 780 respondents fielded in February of 2017.

 

About Longitudes Group LLC

Longitudes Group, LLC, headquartered in Portland, Oregon, is a research and marketing company providing unique analysis on the travel and spending behaviors of avid golfers in the US and Canada. Armed with the Golf S&P™:  Spenders and Players panel and a separate database containing information on the behavior of 5.2 million avid golfers mapped by county and zip code, Longitudes Group uses a geo-demographic approach to probe both the location and purchase behavior of the avid golfer population.  On the supply side, Longitudes Group has built the most up-to-date database of golf retailers including 15,300 golf facilities, 785 off-course retail stores and 1,700 chain sporting goods store.

 

For more information about Longitudes Group and the Golf S&P™ Panel, please visit www.longitudesgroup.com

Contact:

Sara Killeen, President                                   
(503) 477-6284                                              

Sara@longitudesgroup.com  

 

Eric Stanton, Vice President of Marketing

(503) 475-7970

Eric.Stanton@longitudesgroup.com   

Longitudes Group Releases Timely Big Box Golf Closure Research

Significant retail closures at Golfsmith, Sports Authority and others leave shopping patterns in flux as golf season begins to open across the country. 

PORTLAND, Ore. (March 1, 2017) - Longitudes Group LLC, a leading independent sports research company, announced the release of the Big Box Golf Closure Report.  The report shares how golfers in 38 major markets are planning to shop and spend in the wake of Golfsmith, golfsmith.com and a cluster of sporting goods chains’ bankruptcies in 2016 and 2017.  Longitudes Group estimates more than $800M in golf spending is up for grabs with the closing of nearly 670 retail stores that sold golf equipment, apparel and footwear.