McIlroy mania in Melbourne, Scheffler goes blue in the Bahamas, new TGL holes, and Korda tops women’s golf earnings. The Back Nine.
Category: Reports
The 2025 golf season was anything but dull – from fan scandals to rule chaos, it was a year full of drama and surprises.
Legal dispute: Tiger Woods is in trouble with his new outfit label Sun Day Red. The company Tigeraire from Baton Rouge/Louisiana has filed a trademark lawsuit against the 15-time major winner, Sun Day Red and the outfit manufacturer TaylorMade.
Tiger Woods’ Logo is Claimed to Confuse Consumers
According to Tigeraire, which manufactures cooling systems for the sports sector, such as ventilation systems for football helmets, the trademark, which has existed since 2020, is being blatantly ignored, protected trademark rights and brand identity are being infringed and consumer confusion is being created: the application to register Sun Day Red’s trademark must therefore be rejected. Tigeraire refers to the similarities and likelihood of confusion between the logos of the two companies, which each show a stylised tiger. David Abeles, CEO of TaylorMade, commented on the process: ‘We have full confidence in the protection of our brand.’
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Great Britain: Golf enthusiasm continues
Golf continues to prove popular in Great Britain, with ten percent more rounds of golf played in the first nine months of the year than in the equivalent period in 2021.
This is despite a small four percent drop in year-on-year play rates between July and September. It should however be remembered that the summer of 2021 was atypical, with rounds played experiencing an extended bounce after the lockdowns earlier in the year.
Continued strong participation in the UK
Contrasting against pre-lockdown years, Q3 2022 rounds were up 40 percent against 2019. Q3 was boosted by a drier than average July and August, but this alone does not account for the strong enduring appetite for golf.
The results can therefore be read as another indicator of strong ongoing participation. The North was the strongest performing region in 2022, recording one percent growth against the very strong third quarter of 2021.
“Golf continues to be a sport attractive across all levels of the game”
Richard Payne, Director at Sporting Insights, said: “This has been another good quarter for golf. The similarity in results between 2021 and 2022 suggests to us that golf is reaching a new normal baseline, which would be great news, because that normal is clearly a step up on where the game found itself before the pandemic. However, we are certainly not getting complacent because we know that the cost of living crisis is going to impact on leisure, putting pressure on memberships and green fee visits alike. What’s clear though is that golf is in a much better position to weather this storm thanks to the industry’s efforts over the last two years.”
Those efforts include work from The R&A to promote the links between golf and health. Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, added, “It is again encouraging to see the positive data for rounds played in Great Britain for the third quarter of 2022.
“Golf was on the rise pre-pandemic and this latest data highlights how golf continues to be a sport attractive across all levels of the game through various formats. It is important for the sport to maintain this momentum and we are pushing initiatives such as the benefits of golf for your health strongly to continue to drive growth.”
Since 2000, Sporting Insights (previously known as Sports Marketing Surveys) has tracked rounds played at commercial golf courses across mainland Great Britain.
As part of Sporting Insights’ ongoing partnership with The Revenue Club, the Q3 report includes an additional section that looks at the booking channel trends from the 140 clubs that they work with.
(Text: Sporting Insights)
The European Tour group’s Golf for Good raised a total of £125,000 for UNICEF through its season-long ‘Every Birdie Counts’ campaign. The campaign, supporting UNICEF’s work as part of the COVAX Facility, raised sufficient funds to help the children’s charity. The did so by delivering 50,000 vaccines to some of the world’s most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach nations.
‘Every Birdie Counts’ is an integral part of the European Tour group’s overarching CSR Programme ‘Golf for Good’ during the 2021 season. Also, it raised a minimum of €1 for UNICEF for every single birdie made during the campaign, with €10 donated for every eagle and €1,000 for every albatross.
DP World Tour Championship boosted up the total.
The season-ending DP World Tour Championship in Dubai gave a significant ‘Birdie Boost’ to those numbers. Then, the European Tour group’s Golf for Good pledged €75 for every birdie made at the final Rolex Series event of the season. This was to mark UNICEF’s milestone 75th anniversary as well as World Children’s Day, which coincided with day three of the prestigious tournament.
There was a total of €77,451 raised prior to the finale at Jumeirah Golf Estates, thanks to 57,641 birdies, 1,681 eagles and three albatrosses across a season which began with January’s Abu Dhabi HSBC Championship.
The DP World Tour Championship, meanwhile, yielded 862 birdies and 19 eagles, raising a total of €66,550 in a brilliant week for Collin Morikawa. Morikawa claimed the title in a dramatic fashion, becoming the first American golfer in the history of the DP World Tour to top the season-long rankings.
The European Tour group’s Golf for Good rounded up the total from approximately £121,250 to £125,000. Of course, the full amount will support UNICEF’s work as part of the COVAX Facility, and its aim of delivering three billion vaccines globally.
Supporting the UNICEF work.
UNICEF is leading the end-to-end supply of vaccines, as well as providing tests and treatments, in low-and middle-income countries. For instance, UNICEF focuses the aim to deliver three billion doses of vaccines in 2021 for frontline health workers, social workers, teachers and those at highest risk.
The commitment of Paul Casey with the cause.
Paul Casey, a 15-time DP World Tour winner and UNICEF USA Supporter, said: “It’s unbelievable what the European Tour group and Golf for Good have done. So much is talked about what we do on the golf course, but I don’t think enough is mentioned about what goes on for every community and country we visit.”
“In this case, it’s the global reach – partnering with UNICEF and £125,000 will go so far in assisting UNICEF’s work as part of the COVAX Facility, rolling out COVID-19 vaccines around the world. I couldn’t be more proud. Things like this make me proud of being part of the DP World Tour.”
“As a father, children are my primary focus when it comes to charity. It was World Children’s Day on Saturday during the final tournament, so I think this is very timely. You have a right as a human being to have access to certain things and children are always the most vulnerable. I tip my cap to all of those involved in getting this off the ground.”
The European Tour shows full support with the most vulnerable.
Keith Pelley, Chief Executive of the European Tour group, said: “We are proud to have partnered with UNICEF in their 75th anniversary year, by supporting their work as part of the COVAX Facility though our ‘Every Birdie Counts’ campaign.”
“As a global tour we committed to supporting communities and worthy causes around the world. Therefore, to that end, this donation is a fitting end to our 2021 Golf for Good campaign. It will provide enough funding to help deliver 50,000 vaccinations to some of the most vulnerable and hardest-to-reach nations on earth.”
“It was also fitting that the ‘Every Birdie Counts’ campaign should finish with such a flourish at an event sponsored by our new tour title partners DP World. They have been supporting UNICEF in the logistics and delivery of the vaccine globally. Our sincerest thanks to UNICEF, DP World and of course all of our players who, through their wonderful golf all season, helped make this happen.”
UNICEF is one step closer to accomplish its mission.
Steven Waugh, Interim Executive Director of the UK Committee for UNICEF said: “If we have learned anything from the coronavirus crisis, it is that our lives are interconnected. COVID-19 does not respect borders. At UNICEF, we know that if we only protect high-income countries, life will not return to normal. If COVID-19 is spreading anywhere, it’s a risk to people everywhere.”
“As part of COVAX, UNICEF is leading the biggest health and logistics operation in history to procure and deliver vaccines. A total of 3 billion vaccines around the world by the end of 2021. In order to achieve this historic mission, we need the help of our supporters and partners.”
“I would like to share my sincere thanks to everyone at the European Tour group, who have helped raised an incredible amount for UNICEF’s work around the world. Your support means that we can help deliver 50,000 vaccinations in low- and middle- income countries around the world.”
Press Release by the European Tour Group Communications Team.
New figures reveal an increase in golf participation. 2.3 million more adults played on-course in Great Britain and Ireland last year, and the sport is now being encouraged to grasp the opportunity to retain new and returning players.
Research led by The R&A, together with England Golf, Golf Ireland, Scottish Golf and Wales Golf, demonstrates how the sport thrived in 2020 despite the significant challenges of Covid-19.
The two new participation reports, produced by specialist research agency Sports Marketing Surveys, show that a significant number of players enjoyed golf on full-length courses as well as alternative forms of the sport, including the use of driving ranges, Par 3 golf and pitch and putt. Other encouraging findings show an increase in the number of female golfers and a reduction in the average age of participants.
Richard Payne: “We are really excited”
Reflecting on the research, SMS director Richard Payne noted, “For golf participation to have grown in the way it has in the context of the external pressures it has faced is nothing short of amazing. We suspected this might be the case when our figures showed that more rounds were played in 2020 than in 2019 despite course closures, but rounds played is only one part of the story. We now know that the growth wasn’t only down to existing golfers playing more, but also significantly boosted by new players coming into the sport. More people on driving ranges, par 3s and full-length courses is good for the whole game, from course operators to manufacturers to retailers, events and broadcasters. We are really excited to help the golf industry take advantage of this, and we’ve already been having lots of great conversations with clients keen to understand how research can help them build on the momentum.”
Phil Anderton, Chief Development Officer at The R&A, said, “We have seen a real surge in the number of golfers in Great Britain and Ireland playing the sport and this is reflected by the high demand for tee times and clubs reporting a strong interest in membership last year.”
“Golf has shown that it can provide significant health benefits, and this has been important for many golfers during these very challenging times. It is vital that golf seizes the opportunity to maintain this heightened interest by offering new and returning golfers compelling reasons to stay within the sport and enjoy it with friends and family,” he said.
Key highlights from the 2020 Great Britain Golf Participation Report:
- Total adult golfers on a full-length course (9 or 18 hole) increased by 2.1 million players to 5.2 million – the highest figure recorded this century;
- Of these golfers, 36% identified as returning or new golfers – with 16% of players starting or trying golf for the first time because of the pandemic;
- The average age of golfers fell by five years to 41, with the majority of new golfers aged under 55;
- 25% of female golfers were new to the sport – and tried it for the first time because of the pandemic;
- Driving range use increased from 2.3 million to 4.3 million players;
- The number of golfers who only used Par 3 courses more than doubled, and those who only played on pitch and putt courses more than tripled.
Key highlights from the 2020 Ireland Golf Participation Report:
- Total adult golfers on a full-length course increased by 219,000 to 540,000
- 18% returned to golf or started or tried golf for the first time because of the pandemic
- A third of adult golfers who tried golf for the first time were under 25 years old
Following the easing of lockdown restrictions, The R&A identified the need to further understand the new demand and how different types of golfers were engaging with the sport.
Post Covid Opportunity Research
The Post Covid Opportunity Research was a supplementary project carried out by SMS. It assesses the experiences of golfers during the pandemic, their motivations for playing and their long-term plans for the future. Among new golfers, 98% of those interviewed identified they are enjoying playing golf and 95% see themselves playing golf for many years to come.
The impact of Covid-19 restrictions on mental and physical health and loneliness has been considerable, with the research showing how golf has helped in these areas.
Key findings include:
- Among avid/regular golfers, 31% had experienced some negative impact on their feelings of loneliness/isolation as a result of the pandemic. Of these, 79% believe playing golf had a positive impact.
- Among lapsed/returning golfers, 44% had experienced some negative impact on their mental health as a result of the pandemic. Of these, 92% felt that playing golf had a positive impact.
- Among occasional/infrequent golfers, 34% had experienced some negative impact on their physical health as a result of the pandemic. Of these, 70% agreed that playing golf had a positive impact.
The research also outlined recommendations that clubs can take to retain new players. These include making sure golfers feel welcome and valued; cultivating a friendly culture and relaxed atmosphere; promoting participation options based on ability and experience; offering excellent customer service; providing an efficient booking system; and prioritising the quality and maintenance of the course.
Anderton added, “The mental and physical health benefits of golf have helped boost participation in 2020 and that is hugely encouraging given the sport offers a wonderful form of exercise out in the fresh air for all ages and abilities.”
“With more female players also coming into the sport, it presents an opportunity for golf clubs to harness interest from this key demographic and to engage in our #FOREveryone campaign.”
“The campaign encourages clubs to consider how they can attract more women and girls into the sport and challenge unhelpful stereotypes to demonstrate that it is an enjoyable pastime and career for people of all ages and backgrounds.”
(Text: Sports Marketing Surveys)
Categories
Sun protection and sport: new insights
Skin in the Game
In every sports fan’s life, there comes the devastating, disconcerting moment when you realise that you’re past it. Players half your age start making their debuts. Competitors ten years your junior win titles. You are forced to confront the reality that in fact, you probably won’t make it onto the tour, into the side, or through qualifying. No matter that you never consciously or logically dreamed of ‘making it’, it is still a bitter pill to swallow.
Fortunately, there is much more to sport than the professional ranks, and, at risk of lapsing into cliché, it is true that it is never too late to get into or stay in sport. Naturally, certain sports lend themselves to longer participation than others. The R&A, the custodian of the rules of golf, actively promotes the game as being “A sport for life, which can be played and enjoyed by people of all ages, backgrounds and levels of ability.”
But sports can only be ‘for life’ as long as they are practiced safely. Many sports have made massive recent strides in this respect. In extreme sports from climbing to skiing, protection, in the form of helmets, for example, is second nature. Cricketers wear pads and boxes and helmets to protect themselves from impact. Rugby players wear mouthguards as standard. Concussion protocols are being constantly reviewed across multiple sports. What’s often much harder is to convince people to protect themselves from less obvious, less visible risks.
Recent research conducted by SMS on behalf of the Melanoma Fund revealed a concerning carelessness among UK golfers when it comes to the risk of skin cancer and precautions that can help protect their skin. Only 42% of surveyed golfers use sunscreen when the weather demands it, and nearly 30% admitted that they actively avoid sun protection in favour of a tan.
With melanoma rates doubling in the UK in the last thirty years and poised to reach nearly half a million global cases by 2040, it has never been more important to understand and protect against the risk. It is a cause that Slip! Slap! Swing! has been set up to champion. Richard Payne, SMS Director, is an ambassador for the charity, which aims to change golfer behaviour on an individual level as well as encourage golf courses to get Sun Protection Accredited.
Reflecting on the vital importance of the campaign, Richard commented:
“Often, sadly, it has taken a public tragedy to provoke change in sport. The death of Natasha Richardson transformed the conversation about ski helmets. The death of Philip Hughes has led to prototype helmet designs in an attempt to ensure nobody else suffers in the same way. Golf has fortunately escaped this so far, although numerous players, including Justin Thomas and Adam Scott, have had scares. The challenge is to convince golfers to individually and collectively change their attitude to sun protection before a high- profile tragedy kickstarts the conversation.”
Done right, sport can not only extend life, but enhance it. Whether on the fairways or on the court or on the waves, a life with sport can be significantly richer than a life without it. Protecting yourself to ensure that your sports career and your life are as long as possible comes with no drawbacks and many benefits.
(Text: Sports Marketing Surveys)
Hideki Matsuyama is a golfer who feels like he has been around much longer than he has.
Part of the effect is generated by his beautifully struck irons, which carry him serenely from tee to green and make his game seem mature beyond his years. In part it is his composed, friendly demeanour. Mostly, it is because of how much he has accomplished in the sport.
Matsuyama first finished at the top five in a Major in 2015 and rose to the top five in the world in 2016. The next year, he romped to a WGC title at Firestone, shooting a barely believable 61 in the final round to win by five. Now, with a victory at the 2021 Masters, he finally has the Major title that his talent has demanded for some time.
With his triumph, the 29-year-old completes a pair of Japanese doubles at Augusta. For Matsuyama himself, it is a Green Jacket to go with the Silver Cup he won a decade earlier as the leading amateur. For his country, it means Japan is now home to both the Masters champion and the Augusta National Women’s Amateur champion, following Tsubasa Kajitani’s triumph earlier this month.
Matsuyama joins female players Hisako Higuchi and Hinako Shibuno in Japan’s stable of major winners. 2021 now holds the chance for him to improve his already impressive best finishes at the tournaments that define golf’s calendar. Ties for fourth and sixth at the PGA Championship and Open Championship, combined with a second place at the U.S. Open, prove that this is a player capable of winning on all types of golf course in any conditions.
He will be hotly fancied in particular at an even rarer chance for glory. It is common to talk of a home favourite being cheered by an Olympic crowd. Following Tokyo’s decision to restrict foreign fan travel as a result of the COVID pandemic, that will never have been truer than in 2021. Olympic glory is a challenge that England’s Justin Rose, the first-round leader who Matsuyama overhauled with his Saturday charge, has conquered, claiming golf’s first Olympic title in 112 years in 2016. As for Hideki, he is no stranger to gold medals, having already topped the podium in both the individual and team golf events at the 2011 World University Games. If he can follow Rose’s lead again and win in a home Olympics, golf in Asia might just find itself in overdrive.
Already, the sport has been enjoying something of a boom in the East. On the professional side, Matsuyama’s maturation comes at the same time as other standout young stars like Sung-Jae Im and Si Woo Kim are making strides up the rankings. The women’s world rankings are currently led by three Koreans. On a grassroots level, the demand to play golf has been fuelled by lockdown and travel restrictions, leading to golf membership enquiries and prices reaching record highs in the region. While this has benefitted those managing golf courses, or selling on memberships, which, at top private clubs, are often tradeable debenture type subscriptions, the continent still has much to do to ensure that everyone who wants to play can find a tee time to do so. High population density and a relative lack of golf facilities means that tee time availability can be expensive as well as competitive.
Eric Lynge, chief executive of the Asian Golf Industry Federation (AGIF) and SMS’ special advisor for Asia, commented:
“It is a fantastic result for Asian golf! The region’s golfing community is thrilled. The challenge now is to capitalise on the momentum and make sure that Matsuyama and Kajitani’s Augusta triumphs are channelled towards broadening access to golf on the continent. Another key initiative in that respect is gathering robust, regular data on participation and playing habits across the region. The AGIF and SMS are exploring the possibility of launching new research to start quantifying fluctuations in participation and examine how this is impacted by a range of factors including the professional game, national or local initiatives and media exposure.”
Text: SportsMarketingSurveys.com
Earlier this week you were able to experience the Mercedes-Maybach GLS. What do you think of the car?
BL: I really like it. It’s a fantastic car, both visually and in terms of luxury and space. This for sure is the benchmark when it comes to a luxury SUV. Mercedes-Maybach stands for luxury at its best and this is the proof point. Beyond the interior and exterior design, which I really like, I especially appreciate the comfort. I guess you can’t get more comfort within a SUV. Definitely the perfect choice when you go on a (golf) trip with friends or family.
If you could take your family and friends out on a trip in the Mercedes-Maybach GLS. Where would you go?
BL: I guess in the US it could be almost everywhere, but definitely outside the big cities and closer to mountains and nature. Colorado and Utah would be good spots. In Europe it would be definitely the
Alps. I could imagine starting at my hometown in Bavaria and from there straight to the Alps – yes, that would be the perfect route.
This week at The Masters, all players get their very own dedicated Mercedes-Benz. Do you prefer a shuttle service or driving by yourself like this week at the Masters?
BL: Oh, I like being shuttled but it is always nice to hold the steering wheel yourself. It calms me down and lets me have a relaxed start into the day. The approach to the ANGC’s premises on
Magnolia Lane towards the club house is always a special sight. In addition, my own vehicle provides me with added safety as part of all the measures to protect against COVID-19.
After a dedicated Mercedes-Benz car at Augusta, what and where will you be driving next?
BL: I will be enjoying my own Mercedes-Benz back in Florida. I really like driving my own car, especially when I have the chance to take it to tournaments on the PGA Tour Champions.
You also were able to take a seat in the all-new Mercedes-Benz EQS with its Hyperscreen. What were your thoughts when you had a look at this feature?
BL: This for sure is the biggest screen I have ever seen in a car. But it makes perfectly sense and means a new level of driving assistance. It is like your personal caddy in your car. With its curved form, it reminds me of a golf hole from above.
(Text: Mercedes Benz)
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Restrictions Eased: Golf Back in England
After a long wait and a bleak winter, restrictions are finally starting to ease in England.
The sun is shining, birds are chirping, and we can now take part in a limited selection of government sanctioned outdoor activities like tennis, grassroots football and golf.
In accordance with the government’s plan to gradually ease lockdown measures, golf courses across England have been given the green light to reopen from the March 29th.
England’s courses have been closed since January 5th in order to limit community spread of COVID-19.
The decision was confirmed by vaccines minister, Nadhim Zahawi, in a series of televised press interviews on Monday 22nd February.
Golf came back in Wales on Saturday March 13th, while courses in Scotland remained open throughout the Winter, albeit with limited capacity.
Casual golfers or anyone looking to start a new hobby may not be setting up their first post-lockdown tee for a little while yet. A large number of clubs in England have reopened to members only as a way to keep numbers down as restrictions continue to be in place.
Club houses are set to open up to guests on April 12th, with hungry golfers only allowed to bring takeaway food and drink in the meantime.
Attempts to reopen courses earlier than March 29th were unsuccessful.
England Golf and the All-Party Parliamentary Group for Golf published a report detailing how golf could be played safely in accordance with COVID-19 health guidelines, which led to strong public criticism of the government’s decision to close golf courses.
Criticism of the decision frequently centred on impacts on mental and physical health.
A petition to reopen golf courses immediately gained more than 130,000 signatures. It was debated in parliament one week ago on the 22nd of March, with no decision reached to open earlier than the planned date.
“Sport is crucial for our mental and physical health,” the government responded to the petition in a statement on the 18th of January.
Other outdoor activities like tennis and football are allowed from today. Prime minister Boris Johnson has described such activities as the “best way to restore freedom while minimising risk”.
March 29th is a big step forward in the government’s reopening programme which is currently still on track to be over by the 21st of June 2021.