Georgia Trend Talks: Teeing up economic growth through golf

Caption

Xander Schauffele hits on the practice range during a practice round in preparation for the Masters golf tournament at Augusta National Golf Club Monday, April 8, 2024, in Augusta, Ga.

Credit: AP Photo/Matt Slocum

The golf industry is thriving in Georgia. As the state hosts a variety of prestigious tournaments, including the world-renowned Masters at Augusta National Golf Club, golf is more than just a pastime—it's a significant economic driver. Writer Mary Anne Duncan recently wrote an in-depth piece for Georgia Trend magazine about all of the different ways golf impacts Georgia's economy.

From the historical roots of the sport in Savannah to the manufacturing of essential golfing equipment, Georgia plays a crucial role in the global golf industry. She spoke with GPB's Pamela Kirkland about the ways Georgia is "Rolling in the Green."

TRANSCRIPT

Pamela Kirkland: It's Morning Edition. 362 golf facilities. 6,500 holes. Tournaments. Private clubs. Resort courses. Golf is definitely having a moment in Georgia. And aside from hitting the links socially or competitively, golf enthusiasts are an economic driver for the Peach State. Mary Anne Duncan took a deeper look at Georgia's golf economy for the August issue of Georgia Trend magazine, and joins me now. Welcome to Morning Edition.

Mary Anne Duncan: Hi, Pamela. Good to be here.

Pamela Kirkland: Golf is seeing a surge in popularity right now, but you found Georgia has a long history when it comes to the love of the sport.

Mary Anne Duncan: Actually, the first golf course in the United States was Savannah Country Club, which is still there today. But its history goes back to the late 1700s. And actually, the first golf game in the United States was believed to have been played there. So, well, here we are, you know, centuries later and golf is more popular than ever, but it just all kind of started here.

Pamela Kirkland: And one of the best-known tournaments played here has to be the Masters, that infamous green jacket. Can you talk a little bit about how the tournament's popularity helps boost the local economy?

Mary Anne Duncan: Every year since 1934, the Masters has been held at Augusta National Golf Club the first week in April. So golf fans around the country and around the world look forward to it. And around 2 million of them enter a lottery in hopes of being among the recipients of about 22,000 tickets that are made available to the public. So they stay at hotels, they eat in the restaurants, they rent cars, take Ubers, make all kinds of purchases, as you can imagine. So for some businesses, the week of the Masters is like having a 13th month. According to recent economic impact reports, professional and charitable events, including the Masters, contributed a combined $273 million and supported 3,200 jobs in Georgia in 2022.

Pamela Kirkland: Can you tell us how the state's golf industry contributes to the economy throughout the year, not just during the Masters?

Mary Anne Duncan: Georgia is home to 680,000 golfers, of whom 170,000 are considered avid golfers, which means they play 25 or more games a year or an average of, you know, a game every — every other week, at least on one of Georgia's 362 golf courses. So, those golf courses — golf facilities contributed $1.1 billion in direct economic output; in 2022, another $152 million in capital expenditures were invested in Georgia golf courses, and this was due largely to the increased demand during the pandemic, because many Georgians who had not previously played golf wanted to take up the sport. Golf just really became more popular at that time.

Pamela Kirkland: You mentioned some of the everyday golfers. Georgia actually makes a lot of the things that players need to golf. Tell me more about some of the manufacturing components you reported on.

Mary Anne Duncan: Yeah. I'll tell you one of the things that really surprised me most, in just doing some research for this article, is that 95% of all motorized golf carts in the world are built in Georgia. The turf, both real and synthetic, used on the courses around the world, a lot of that also comes from Georgia. Atlas Turf International in Lagrange, which is the world's leading source of licensed and certified turf grasses, provides turf for resort facilities, private and public clubs, and many world-famous championship venues around the globe.

Pamela Kirkland: For more on Mary Anne's great reporting, head to Georgia Trend to check out the article. Mary Anne Duncan, thank you so much for taking the time to speak with me.

Mary Anne Duncan: Thank you so much for having me.