New Players are Changing the Game
Demographics are part of the formula driving demand for golf travel. While Baby Boomers have been the primary market for many years, a new generation has jumped in with both feet: Millennials.
Tour operators report a small, but growing, shift toward younger golfers on domestic and international trips. The oldest Millennials are now in their 40s and find themselves with the means to enjoy the sorts of travel they like – which means unique experiences.
“These groups want an immersive and enriching experience both on and off the course, and are happy to spend for it,” says Daniel Jones, Marketing and Member Engagement Manager at tour operator Haversham & Baker Golfing Expeditions. “An itinerary consisting of just tee times and basic accommodations simply won’t do. They almost always seek out additional activities that bind them to the culture of their destination, such as whisky tastings and personal tours.”
PGA of America Golf Professionals are also noticing new golfers looking to travel, especially groups of women. At El Niguel Country Club in Laguna Niguel, California, PGA of America General Manager Patrick Casey is finding that women’s trips are a popular item for club members.
Casey just completed a cross-state trip to Palm Springs with a group of 30 women club members that included golf, pickleball, yoga, hiking and gourmet food options. The three-day trip only included nine holes of golf, but it gave members exactly what they wanted.
“Golf brought us all together, but there are other things people enjoy,” Casey says. “Planning these trips that aren’t as golf-intensive gives us a chance to take more of a concierge approach and use our combined expertise as a club to plan something special.”
For his most recent women’s trip, Casey was joined on the road and in the planning process by the club’s assistant general manager, head chef and director of food & beverage. They worked with their industry contacts to plan the itinerary, then found AirBNB accommodations, local chefs to create unique meals and other experiences. Casey also hires a local photographer to get candid photos during the trip, then compiles a memory book for his members.
“It’s really a more well-rounded trip than just the standard 36-holes-a-day golf trip, but that doesn’t mean it’s not a golf trip,” Casey says. “The uniqueness of the trip is the value, and our members want to take in the local vibe and feel. I can see taking these sorts of trips to Napa Valley, Western New York, even South America.”
At Wisconsin’s Geneva National Resort, PGA of America General Manager Glen Murray is also seeing a trend of women’s groups on the tee sheet for more traditional golf getaways.
“We’re starting to see the trend of women’s buddy trips being planned the same way men do them,” Murray says. “We’re really encouraged by it, and we’re talking about it as executive team so we can get a pulse from these groups about what’s important to them, and we’re showing more photography and video of women on our courses on our website to show that we’re a great destination for all types of groups.
“Women’s golf trips aren’t a trend that’s on the horizon, it’s here now and growing.”
