The average number of rounds of golf played across England, Scotland and Wales decreased by 7.5 percent in the first quarter of 2016 compared with the same period in 2015, following on from a disappointing final quarter of 2015. According to Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS), which released the latest golf figures for the U.K., a very wet January resulted in all regions suffering a decrease. The only region that saw an increase in February was the Midlands. March saw positive figures once again for the Midlands and an improved situation in Scotland, where the number of rounds played for the month was the highest over the last four years. The South and the North continued to experience declining participation figures as compared to March 2015. Scotland achieved the best overall figures for the quarter, with a 7 percent increase versus last year's first quarter. In contrast, the South suffered from the biggest decrease for the quarter, down by 17 percent. SMS said the Six Nations of rugby, which was played in February and March, also contributed to keep British people occupied and away from the golf course.

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