Industry Data and Reports

2021 Agronomic, Marketing & Operation Trend Reports

2021 agronomic trend report

This Trend Report investigates current conditions and strategies among thought leaders on the turfgrass side of the business. Working within the Multi-Course Owner/Operator’s facilities, we prevailed upon those Top Agronomic Officers — representing nearly 1,400 courses collectively — to identify current market dynamics and suggest trend possibilities for deeper investigation.

2021 marketing trend report

Marketing executives from the Multi-Course Owner/Operator community possess a unique vantage point on industry practices and policies. In this report, you’ll learn about branding and messaging, plus innovations these leaders put in place to meet those challenges. This report is a mix of creativity, message discipline, brand reinforcement, market segments, and timely insights about all the various components of this market.

2021 operation trends report

In this Trend Report, we again turned to our Multi-Course Owner/Operator community of members — representing nearly 1,400 courses collectively — to understand their vantage point on industry practices and policies, lessons and trends, navigation and innovation. This report offers a dynamic story of creativity, management ideas and strategies, and a plan for the post-pandemic economy and society.

So, You Want to Own a Golf Course?

2021 operation trends report

Are you new to golf course ownership? Do you know someone aspiring to own his or her own course but they don't know where to start? NGCOA's comprehensive 'So, You Want to Own a Golf Course?' is everything you need to know about owning a golf business, but didn't know who to ask. Within its 50 pages are 10 chapters dissecting a wide range of disciplines across the golf business, including specific data and research from notable leaders and experts in our industry.

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Golf Industry Compensation & Benefits Report

For Single Course Owners, Multi-Course Owners/Golf Management Companies, and Resorts


The NGCOA 2020-2021 Golf Industry Compensation & Benefits Report and the NGCOA 2020-2021 Golf Industry Compensation & Benefits Report for Multi-Course Owners are important resources provided by the National Golf Course Owners Association to its members. The information contained in these valuable 50+ page reports provides compensation and benefits levels based on 650 participating facilities, and represents the most complete, accurate and up-to-date compensation data in the industry.

Using the online portal, golf course owners and operators can filter and search fields to easily compare compensation levels and benefit policies of their peers, as well as build and download custom compensation benchmarks using various criteria.

MCO (6+ courses) and top resort officer (TRO) members who provided data for the study will receive a complimentary customized electronic report from Industry Insights comparing their facilities to other MCO facilities; all MCO (6+ courses) and TRO members will receive the standard MCO version of the 2020-2021 Compensation & Benefits Report from the NGCOA.

These reports were produced by Industry Insights and sponsored by Deluxe. For more information on the reports, please contact Jay Andersen, NGCOA Director of Membership, at jandersen@ngcoa.org or 843-471-2736.

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Beware of Barter: The Ins and Outs of Trading Your Tee Times

beware of barter reportThis guide reveals data, reviews and narratives every golf course owner or operator should know about bartering tee times away for golf management software (GMS) technology, and tee time distribution services. The guide begins with a definition and discussion of barter; it then explores Calculating the Cost of Barter, Price Elasticity and Golf, Rate Integrity and Parity - Protecting Your Brand, Is the Technology Worth the Cost?, The Hospitality Handbook, and various case studies and best practices. Research included academic studies, case histories, and expert observations and analysis; the findings have developed over the years, not only through a recent member survey, but through discussions with GMS providers and Online Tee Time Agents (OTTAs), and general industry awareness. Click here to download the report.

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Latest Discussions List

  • RE: Driving Range Ideas

    By: Karen Kaiser , one month ago
    Posted in: Advocacy Alerts

    Following!  We are considering putting a range in and would like to do something on the smaller side . . . has anyone done one with nets at approx 100-150  ...

  • Driving Range Ideas

    By: Melodie Estridge , one month ago
    Posted in: Advocacy Alerts

    To those of you that own or recently renovated your driving range can you send me any fresh ideas. My plan is new nets and poles, lighting and bays with ...

  • RE: DHS INCREASES H-2B VISAS FOR 2023

    By: Brooks West , one month ago
    Posted in: Advocacy Alerts

    Hello NGCOA Family, Does anyone have any 'experience shares' with this program working well for you? I am specifically aiming to apply to get two (2) ...

  • DHS INCREASES H-2B VISAS FOR 2023

    By: Ronnie Miles , one month ago
    Posted in: Advocacy Alerts

    Golf Industry Members, Accessing H-2B workers has been challenging for many club and resort operators.  The level of demand has always exceeded the available ...

  • DOL RELEASES PROPOSED REGULATION ON INDEPENDENT CONTRACTOR ...

    By: Ronnie Miles , one month ago
    Posted in: Advocacy Alerts

    Golf Industry Members, As I reported in April, the Department of Labor rescinded the Trump administration's rule, which defines independent contractors ...