Golf Impact on Michigan

An independent study released in August highlights the importance of golf to the economy of Michigan, which ranks first in the nation in number of public golf facilities and third in the nation in the number of 18-hole equivalent courses.

Published in September 2007 by SRI International, the study was commissioned by the Michigan Golf Alliance and was accomplished through a comprehensive, standardized framework that could be replicated nationwide.

The study is part of the ongoing effort by the World Golf Foundation’s Golf 20/20 initiative to quantify golf’s economic, environmental and human impact at both the national and state levels. Golf 20/20 is supported by golf’s national allied associations, including the PGA of America, Golf Course Superintendents Association of America, Club Managers Association of America, National Golf Course Owners Association, United States Golf Association, the PGA Tour and the Ladies Professional Golf Association.

Among the findings in the Michigan Golf Economy Report, the golf industry:

• Generated 56,977 direct and indirect jobs for its citizens.
• Generated $2.2 billion of direct economic output.
• Generated $1.4 billion in direct and indirect salaries and wages in the state economy.
• Generated $1.3 billion in hospitality and tourism.

The following measurement indexes are used in the SRI study:

• Direct Impact – Determined by the size of the golf industry cluster within the state economy based on revenue. The state golf economy is calculated by adding the size of each of its core and enabled industries.
• Indirect Impact – Determined by the purchases of golf course facilities and the companies, which provide goods and services to the golf industry and in turn, purchase goods and services from other companies.
• Induced Impact – Employees directly employed within the golf sector spend much of their income in the region, which creates more spending and more jobs in the economy. Together, the “indirect” and “induced” impact forms a multiplier impact on the golf economy.

For a copy of the complete Michigan report or other economic research on golf, visit www.golf2020.com.