The economic impact of golf on the economy of Europe (2013)

Sports Marketing Surveys Inc., Europe’s leading research agency in the field of golf, has been commissioned by a number of the principal European golfing bodies, led by the PGA of GB&I, to undertake an economic impact study of the sport on the economy of Europe. The primary objective of this exercise has been to estimate the financial contribution that the game of golf makes to the European economy. It is recognised absolutely, however, that the game has many additional benefits beyond those which are economic – in public health, in facilitating social interaction, in enabling men and women and players of different ages and levels of ability to compete against each other, in encouraging fair play and sporting behaviour both in victory and defeat, in creating healthy competition and in offering opportunities to travel. Each of these are important contributors to the conclusion that the game of golf provides a positive impact on society beyond the direct element of the commercial impact of the game in Europe and beyond. The focus here is to produce a robust evaluation of the physical and financial numbers of the sport on Europe.