Practice area renovations have become the most popular type of project for golf course architects, according to the 2021 Golf Facility Market Trend Watch report, commissioned by the American Society of Golf Course Architects (ASGCA) and conducted by Sports & Leisure Research Group (SLRG).

According to the report, there has been a 13 per cent spike in practice area projects among architects, while there have also been increases in bunker projects, greens renovations, tee box redesigns and projects to add forward tees.

Interest in golf course renovations among public facilities is also at a four-year high, with the report highlighting a seven per cent jump over the last two years. Statistics relating to public facility respondents also show increases in a few other areas, including a 12 per cent rise in those interested in expanded junior programmes, a nine per cent increase in facilities interested in nine-hole golf, and a 20 per cent spike in interest regarding couples events.

“Covid-19 had a unique impact on the golf industry, as 85 per cent of superintendents reported a surge in play during 2020, a far different result than most other industries experienced,” said Jon Last, SLRG founder and president. The pandemic’s impact is seen throughout these results, including more than 7-in-10 facilities saying their bottom line was impacted by new or updated regulatory issues.”

To read more, download the full 2021 Golf Facility Market Trend Watch.