Golf rounds played in the U.K. were down year-on-year in the third quarter of 2021, but last year’s third quarter was exceptional, as pent-up demand for the sport exploded with the easing of lockdowns. From that high point – a 20-year record – this year’s figure is down by 7 percent overall, with the sharpest decline occurring in the southern part of the country, where golf enjoyed a particularly strong performance in 2020. Even so, the number of rounds played in the U.K. from July to September leaped up year-on-year by 16.7 percent, although closures through the second quarter had an impact. This year has also been better than 2019. The figures come from Sports Marketing Surveys, which has also seen an increase in the number of new players and in retention rates as compared to 2019, auguring well for the medium term. According to its director, Richard Payne, “it isn’t surprising at all that we have seen a decline against 2020, which was an anomaly in lots of ways…. In absolute terms, the comparison with 2019 is much more meaningful… The relatively low drop compared to 2020 is great news, suggesting that those who played more last year appreciated the benefits of the game, in terms of physical, mental and social wellbeing.”

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