Inside Golf Magazine

Golf Canada, in partnership with the PGA of Canada, has released Golf Facilities in Canada 2017—the definitive report on golf facilities and development in Canada.

Golf Facilities in Canada 2017 is a collaborative effort between Golf Canada, the PGA of Canada and the National Golf Foundation (NGF), a golf industry knowledge research firm which delivers independent and objective market intelligence, insights and trends.

The report, which is a follow up to the 2015 Golf Facilities in Canada Report, identifies all existing public and private facilities in the country; and defines supply by province, type and number of holes. The report also includes information on facility openings and closings, as well as the number and type of facilities currently in development.

“The 2017 edition of the Golf Facilities in Canada report provides a comprehensive snapshot of the Canadian golf landscape and the abundance of golf experiences in communities from coast to coast,” said Golf Canada Chief Sport Officer and interim CEO Jeff Thompson. “We are proud to partner with the NGF and the PGA of Canada in presenting the second iteration of this in-depth summary of national and provincial golf facility data.”

“The PGA of Canada in partnership with Golf Canada is excited to present this captivating study of golf facilities in Canada compiled by one of the world’s leading research firms, the National Golf Foundation,” said PGA of Canada CEO Gary Bernard. “As the second oldest and third largest professional golf association in the world, the PGA of Canada and its 3,700 members are proud to be a driving force at golf facilities from coast-to-coast.”

A snapshot of data captured in Golf Facilities in Canada 2017:

• Canada is home to 2,298 public and private golf facilities; ranking it second in the world in total supply.
  
  
• Seventy-seven per cent of the total golf supply is located in Canada’s four most populated provinces—Ontario, Québec, Alberta and British Columbia.
  
  
• Golf remains extremely accessible in Canada with nearly 90 per cent of the country’s supply open to the public.
  
  
• Of the 2,068 daily fee or public facilities in Canada, 48 per cent are located in Ontario and Québec, which together account for 61 per cent of the country’s total population. The two provinces are also home to 73 per cent of Canada’s 230 private clubs.
  
  
• Nine-hole golf (838 facilities) accounts for more than 36 per cent of Canada’s total supply. In Saskatchewan, 18-hole courses are outnumbered almost three to one (51 vs. 149) by 9-hole courses.
  
  
• Canada features nine 12-hole facilities (six of which are in Ontario) and a single 6-hole facility which is located in Manitoba.
  
  
• Resort golf, though a small segment of Canada’s overall supply, is a significant contributor to tourism in several provinces. Countrywide, 169 facilities (or approximately seven percent of total supply) are connected to a resort or a resort/real estate operation.
  
  
• Since 2010, 26 facilities have opened in seven different provinces including Alberta, which leads the way with eight openings during that period. In recent years, Canada has seen only moderate growth, and currently has 22 18-hole equivalent facilities in various stages of development.
  
  
• Since 2015, 51 facilities have been reported as closed, including 19 in Ontario. Canada’s largest province accounts for 37 per cent of total Canadian closures as well as 35 perc ent of Canada’s total supply.

The complete Golf Facilities in Canada 2017 report including national and provincial data is available for download here.

Globally, Canada’s 2,298 facilities represent seven percent of the world’s total supply of golf facilities (33,161). Canada ranks second in total supply behind the United States (15,014) and is ahead of Japan (2,290), England (1,991), Australia (1,591) and Germany (747) among the countries with the next highest total supply. For more on the world report, visit randa.org.

According to a Canadian golf economic impact study released by the National Allied Golf Associations (NAGA), the golf industry is worth more than $14.3-billion to the Canadian economy and represents more than 1 per cent of our nation’s total GDP. The $5-billion in direct revenues generated by Canadian golf facilities are more than the revenues generated by all other participation sports and recreational facilities combined ($4.8 billion). The numbers reinforce the massive financial, charitable, and environmental impact that golf has in communities across Canada including hundreds of thousands of jobs, billions in taxes, and a major tourism driver both domestic and international. Canadian golf facilities are a channel for major charitable giving with close to 37,000 events at Canadian courses raising more than $533-million annually for worthwhile causes. Canadians are passionate about the game of golf with a participation base of 5.7-million Canadians who enjoy more than 60-million rounds annually. For more information about the robust impact of golf in Canada visit canadagolfs.ca.