Media Release: Results, 2024 London & Area Golf Survey

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
LONDONONTARIOGOLF.COM RELEASES 2024 LONDON & AREA GOLF SURVEY
MOST COMPREHENSIVE SURVEY OF PLAYING, BUYING TRENDS IN LOCAL GOLF HISTORY

Above Photo: 2024 Junior Tyson Tour action at Thames Valley Golf Course. Photo: Jeffrey Reed/LondonOntarioGolf.com

January 13, 2025 (London, ONT) – Today, LondonOntarioGolf.com (est. 2004), the Voice of Golf in Southwestern Ontario, releases results from the 2024 London & Area Golf Survey.

Jeffrey Reed

LondonOntarioGolf.com is a project from award-winning publisher and editor Jeffrey Reed, a nationally-recognized print and broadcast golf journalist since 1980, and a senior member of the London media. With more than 45 years of reporting on the business side of the golf industry, Reed continues to keep a keen eye on local playing and buying trends in Southwestern Ontario.

The 2024 London & Area Golf Survey ran online at LondonOntarioGolf.com during the 2024 Southwestern Ontario golf season, and drew 1,017 responses from golfers in London and surrounding counties. All respondents were required to complete each of the 50 questions, some of which allowed for multiple answers. The survey took approximately 15 minutes to complete, and participants answered anonymously.

BACKGROUND

The 2024 London & Area Golf Survey is the fifth notable golf survey or study in local golf history. The 2020 London & Area Golf Survey, conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic, was the first of its kind since the City of London municipal golf system surveyed its members in 1999. The City also conducted two golf studies, in 1991 and 2003.

Per capita, Southwestern Ontario is home to the most golf courses in North America. In London and surrounding counties, local golfers have access to 13 private golf clubs, 112 semi-private and public clubs, 20 stand-alone outdoor golf practice centres, numerous golf ranges housed at local clubs and open to public golfers, plus a growing number of indoor golf simulators and practice centres.

The golf industry contributes tens of millions of dollars annually to the local economy, including spending at golf clubs, retail sales and charity golf fundraising. In addition to supporting pro shops, external retailers and not-for-profit groups, local golfers purchase equipment, apparel and accessories online.

“Since the pandemic, London and area golf clubs have collectively announced they have experienced unprecedented traffic in tee times, as golf has provided even the most casual golfer with a safe, inclusive outdoor activity,” said Reed. “Local courses also report that new golfers introduced to the game during the pandemic continue to golf – proving once again that golf is a game for a lifetime.

“London is one of Canada’s golf capitals, given our participation rate, our number of courses, the quality of our links and the notable amateur and professional tournaments we have hosted over the past century,” said Reed, who spoke as a local golf ambassador in a WQLN-TV Erie, Pa. documentary about London. Watch that interview and learn more about London’s golf history at https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kw6NOqMgh-8&t=673s – interview begins at 5:37.

Mike Olizarevitch, retired long-time head golf pro at the City’s Fanshawe Golf Course, produced a report for the City in 2003 indicating there were enough golf courses in and around London to support a population of 1,050,000 – more than three times London’s then population of about 330,000. The National Golf Foundation indicated, in order to sustain a viable trade, one golf course should be built for every 25,000 people.

The 2020 London & Area Golf Survey reflected London and area’s growing population and larger supply of golf amenities. Groups including the City of London municipal golf system relied on the survey for business planning and marketing.

The 2020 survey produced some key findings, most notably that 78 per cent of respondents considered themselves avid golfers, as opposed to casual golfers, with half of all respondents playing 40 or more rounds per season. These findings are in line with a 1991 City of London study, conducted by Canadian Golf Marketing, which stated there were 81,000 golfers in London, 29,000 of whom were recreational golfers, and the balance avid golfers. That study reported, in most other municipalities, those numbers were reversed.

Another key finding from the 2020 London & Area Golf Survey is that 78 per cent of respondents overwhelmingly named lack of time as the biggest reason they don’t play more golf. This finding concurs with recent national reports. Lack of money (24 per cent), and lack of playing partners (25 per cent) were named the next biggest detriments to playing more golf.

FINDINGS: 2024 LONDON & AREA GOLF SURVEY

Here are some key findings from the 2024 London & Area Golf Survey:

• More than half (50.94%) of respondents were age 45 to 64 – a golfing demographic traditionally the highest in Canada. Most (59.49%) of all 1,017 golfers surveyed said they have golfed for more than 25 years, while almost half of survey participants (48.48%) began golfing as teenagers. Golfers age 18 to 34 represent 9.53% of survey participants – the U.S. National Golf Foundation says this demographic is the most represented American golfer, with 6.4 million on course in 2023.
• An impressive 88% of respondents consider themselves avid golfers, as opposed to casual golfers, with 60.57% playing more than 40 rounds per year. Another 27.83% said they play 21 to 40 rounds each season. These numbers offer further fodder to the fact that London can well be defined and marketed as a golfing community which, per capita, is unrivaled in North America.
• Surveyed golfers noted three main reasons why they invest in the golf lifestyle, including: passion for the game (88.5%); social outing (87.12%); and exercise (78.37%) – the World Golf Foundation estimates walking a golf course burns approximately 2,000 calories over a five-mile course.
• About one-quarter (21.63%) of golfers surveyed said they began golfing as adults. This is further proof that, during the pandemic, many adults took up golf as a safe, inclusive way to exercise and interact with others. In addition, adults continue to take up the game of golf as a way to network for business – 44.5% said they golf for this reason.
• Slow play continues to be the biggest complaint amongst golfers. While most respondents (39.63%) said they describe their pace of play as average, only 23.99% said they are slow golfers. Yet 83.68% named slow play as the largest reason by far where golf etiquette needs improvement.
• While most respondents (39.92%) reported their handicap index as between 10.0 and 18.0, 22.32% said they do not record a handicap index. Amateur golfers (89.28%) topped the surveyed golfers. The majority (42.58%) of respondents who do purchase club memberships are members at a public or semi-private golf club. In total, 30.29% of golfers surveyed belong to private clubs, while 26.25% are daily green fee players. It’s important to note that 80.92% of the 1,017 golfers surveyed said the price of a round of golf always determines where and how often they golf in Southwestern Ontario.
• About two-thirds (64.11%) of respondents walk the course – a total of 55.56% of participants use either a push/pull cart or an electric trolley. Previous global studies have indicated that about 60% of Canadian golfers use a push/pull golf cart, while 90% of golfers in the UK rely on wheeled carts and trolleys.
• The business of charity golf continues to decline in London and area. Most survey respondents (42.97%) said they do not play in a charity golf event, while 26.16% said they choose only one tournament to support each year. LondonOntarioGolf.com estimated there were approximately 350 charity golf events of all sizes in London and area prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, while in 2024 there were approximately 225. Even some of the larger local charity golf committees report they are investigating other ways to raise funds in place of golf.
• Traditionally, lack of money has been the biggest detriment to growing the game of golf, but over the past decade lack of time has rivaled lack of funds in terms of why golfers either cut back on their rounds or choose not to golf altogether. Most surveyed golfers named lack of time (67.65%) as their top reason for not golfing more, while 53.1% cited lack of money as another reason. Yet more than half (52.02%) said local green fees are affordable, while 54.18% said public and semi-private club memberships are also affordable. Another positive sign: only 0.49% noted that the local golf industry does not encourage junior golfers to play, while 56.05% said the local golf industry does enough to promote the game to juniors. Three main avenues to growing junior golf drew almost identical responses, including: discounted memberships (51.62%); mentoring (51.33%); and accessibility to local golf clubs (51.03%).
• Local golfers named off-course elements – not golf course conditions – where the golf industry needs the most improvement. About half (50.05%) named advertising/promotions/social media use as the biggest areas demanding the most improvement. When asked what areas need the most improvement at their home club, or their most-visited public and semi-private club, they responded: pro shop (49.56%); food and beverage (45.43%); and clubhouse (44.35%).
• With 125 golf courses in Southwestern Ontario, it’s no surprise that the majority of golfers (43%) travel from 0 to 10 KM to reach their home club or most visited golf course. Another 40.61% said they drive from 11 to 20 KM to reach their clubs. The biggest reason (91.05%) local golfers enjoy golfing in Southwestern Ontario is close proximity, followed by variety of golf courses (72.76%).
• Golfers (28.02%) said they spend more than $500 each year at local pro shops. When asked where they purchase golf clubs, apparel and accessories, 82.01% answered other brick and mortar retailers including Golf Town, 78.76% pro shops and 46.21% online. Top 2024 purchases: golf balls (94.79%); apparel (80.73%); and clubs (61.16%). And of course, golfers still pursue length off the tee as their most coveted holy grail: 45.72% said they purchased a driver in 2024. Wedges placed second at 32.45%.
• Proving once again that London is a golfing community, more than half (56.15%) of golfers said they practice golf indoors during the winter months. In terms of golf vacations, golfers surveyed said they were sticking close to home in 2024, with Ontario (26.06%) the most popular destination, followed by snowbird mecca Florida (18.09%) and nearby Michigan (8.06%).
• About three-quarters (75.12%) of golfers said they did not purchase golf lessons in 2024. Yet 68.44% said practicing more was their top avenue for attempting to improve their scores. Interesting and encouraging note: 45.53% said they would improve their fitness in order to golf better, while only 33.24% said purchasing new equipment was their road to better scores – perhaps another sign that the economy suffered in 2024, and concurrently proof that new golfers were aware of the fitness benefits of golf.
• Golf technology continues to dominate from tee to green. Only 36.68% of golfers said they do not use a golf GPS or laser rangefinder during their rounds.
• Amongst all golfers surveyed, 62.24% said they book tee times online, while 62.83% also book tee times in their local pro shops.
• The great debate – is London a golf destination requiring a larger marketing effort? – continues without a clear answer. Surveyed golfers are split between no (50.15%) and yes (49.85%).
• Only 16.52% of golfers surveyed said they subscribe to a golf print publication. Most (70.6%) source golf news online, while 58.7% said they also get their golf news from television.

The complete 52-page 2024 London & Area Golf Survey is available here Golf Survey 24 in PDF format.

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For more information and a variety of local golf high-res images, please contact:
Jeffrey Reed, Publisher & Editor, LondonOntarioGolf.com
519/643-6334 jeff@londonontariogolf.com

About LondonOntarioGolf.com
LondonOntarioGolf.com (est. 2004), the Voice of Golf in Southwestern Ontario, is a publication from award-winning print, broadcast and new media journalist Jeffrey Reed, a senior member of the London media and since 1980 a nationally-recognized golf writer. Reed captured three writing awards from the Golf Journalists Association of Canada, including back-to-back awards for, Best Website Feature Column in Canada. A three-time author, Reed wrote the 2018-published book, The Canadian Seniors’ Golf Association, Celebrating 100 Years of Canadian Golf 1918-2018. His byline has appeared in every major Canadian newspaper and in numerous notable golf magazines including SCORE Golf for whom he wrote much of the Ontario section during the 1990s and early-2000s. Canadian Golf Hall of Fame inductee Bob Weeks said, “No one covers golf in Southwestern Ontario like Jeffrey Reed.” In addition to writing numerous cover stories for many London business magazines, Reed edited and wrote in its entirety Tourism Ontario’s annual golf magazine which marketed Ontario golf to the world. He also hosted, wrote and co-produced the popular TV show, Forest City Fairways, which aired on Rogers TV. Since 2011, LondonOntarioGolf.com has presented the annual Heart Award to a member of the Southwestern Ontario golf community who gives back to golf while growing the game. Mike Weir captured the Heart Award in 2014. Since 2015, LondonOntarioGolf.com has been published in its entirety at parent publication LondonOntarioSports.com, London’s Trusted Source for Sports News & Information. Together, the publications have surpassed $150,000 in local charitable giving to not-for-profit groups.