Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS), the sports research company, found that golf participation stabilized just above 3.301 million players in the U.K. last year. This is a sharp drop compared with more than 4 million players in 2006 but slightly down from 3.364 million in 2013. The trend for last year includes a rise in female participation for the second year in a row and an increase in the number of “avid” golfers, who play at least once a week. Then again, the number of infrequent golfers, playing less than 12 times per year, has decreased to its lowest level in 14 years. SMS reported earlier that the number of rounds played in the U.K. increased by 3.5 percent last year after a warm and dry summer. The European victory at the Ryder Cup held in Scotland is thought to have stimulated play. SMS further indicates that U.K. golf equipment sales have stabilized across most categories in terms of volume and value.

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