GGA Partner and Principal Henry DeLozier was asked to weigh in on the future of golf as part of Golf Course Industry Magazine's annual state of the industry piece, titled this year "State of the Industry 2018: The Great Reinvestment".
Despite the industry's cuts, closures, and tumbles, DeLozier and Global Golf Advisors remain optimistic about the future of golf and its career potential, “We are in a bull market. The stock market is frequently setting records that have never been imagined before. The growing economy is causing everyone to feel more positive and more optimistic, it’s causing more membership, more participation. The downside of that is that with the unemployment figure down, it’s harder to find labor and, therefore, you have to pay them more. We’re seeing both sides of that.”
According to DeLozier, 2018 presents both opportunities and challenges for golf:
- Development - "I think 2018 is going to be a great year for golf course architects and builders."
- Reinvestment - "Competitive desires spur enhancements among the top 25 percent of clubs."
- Accessibility - "The industry can grow without expanding its customer base because mobile jobs that can be performed anywhere, including on a golf course, shrink the separation between work and recreation."
- Wage Increases - "I think labor costs are going to [increase decidedly] up 6 to 7 percent in the golf business - and that's if you can get workers."
Learn the context of these excerpts and more in the full article available at Golf Course Industry Magazine.
This article was written for and published by Golf Course Industry Magazine by GGA Partner Henry Delozier.
