Georgia Golf Study Finds Golf Drives $2.4 Billion Into State’s Economy

Golf brings visitors to the state, spurs new residential construction, generates retail sales, and creates demand for a myriad of goods and services.

With 401 golf facilities and multiple championship golf tournaments conducted in the state each year, golf is appropriately “on Georgia’s mind” as a key industry contributing to the vitality of its economy from employment, capital investment, tourism, significant charitable donations and the export of goods and services, reports the PGA. Those findings and more are part of a Georgia Golf Economy Report, commissioned by GOLF 20/20 for the Georgia Allied Golf Council and prepared by SRI International. The study was highlighted in conjunction with Georgia Golf Day at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta.

In 2009, the size of Georgia’s direct golf economy was approximately $2.4 billion. Golf brings visitors to the state, spurs new residential construction, generates retail sales, and creates demand for a myriad of goods and services. In 2009, Georgia’s golf industry generated a total economic impact of $5.1 billion, supporting nearly 57,000 jobs with $1.5 billion of wage income.

Announcing the findings were Georgia Gov. Nathan Deal, Steve Mona, chief executive officer of the World Golf Foundation, Joe Steranka, chief executive officer of The PGA of America, and Mike Waldron, executive director of the Georgia State Golf Association.

Additionally representing the Georgia Golf Allied Council were members of the Georgia Section of The PGA of America, the Georgia Golf Course Owners Association, the Georgia Golf Course Superintendents Association, and the Georgia Chapter of the Club Managers Association.

In 2011, two of the four major golf championships will be played in Georgia in the same year for only the sixth time in history. The Masters Tournament, the first major championship of the year, will be held April 4-10, at Augusta National Golf Club; and The PGA Championship, the season’s final major, Aug. 8-12, marking its third visit to Atlanta Athletic Club.