The average number of rounds of golf played in the U.K. during the third quarter of this year is down by 7 percent compared with the third quarter of 2014. The total since the beginning of the year remains up by 1 percent thanks to a good first half. Scotland suffered from a quarterly downturn of 24 percent on an annualized basis, which has extended Scotland's cumulative decrease since the beginning of the year to 14 percent. Sports Marketing Surveys (SMS), which recently released these data, attributed them to the quarter's changeable climate, which added to other factors such as a thrilling home Ashes series in cricket, World Athletics Championships and the start of the Rugby World Cup in England and Wales. Furthermore, the Wimbledon Championship had for the first time a later start, with all but the first two days falling in the third quarter unlike in previous years. According to SMS, the presence of these events may have attracted fans to sports other than golf, and acted as a distraction to golf participation in the U.K.  

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