Future of Golf Resorts in the United States of America

The golf resort industry is more than a century old in the United States of America. Establishing the influence that the golf resorts have on the economy of the United States is necessary for enabling one to understand the major role they play in the performance of the American resorts. As such, it is further crucial to determine the future of golf resorts in the United States by first having an insight into their history (Oliver 24). The opportunities of growth in the golf sector rest on the history and the chances of growth realized across the years in the United States of America. Besides analyzing the history of the golf resorts, there is a need to compare normal hotels and golf resorts to gain an understanding of the significance of the latter in the hospitality industry. Furthermore, it is prudent to establish the contribution that golf resorts have to the performance of a hotel. The golf resorts have their role to play in the growth of the hospitality sector and the generation of revenues of the hotel (Oliver 24). Conventionally, hotels receive revenue through bookings made for accommodations, meals, and available recreational activities. As such, there is a need for the golf resorts to have a plan of attracting the new millennium generation and have an understanding of the needs and attitudes towards golfing. The new millennium generation comprises clients who begin utilizing the services of the golf resorts in the United States of America. This paper aims to discuss the future of golf resorts in the United States of America.

History of Golf Resorts

There is a belief that golf resorts in the United States of America have emanated from the interest in playing golf of many citizens of the country. Traditionally, playing golf has been known to be exclusive to the wealthy members of the society. The history of golf in the United States of America can be traced back to the late 1700s and the early 1800s (Oliver 24). During the 19th century, the main body that was in charge of the golfing competition was created, namely the United States Golf Association.

The introduction of the golf sport in the United States, the subsequent foundation of various golf clubs in the country in the 1800s, and the organization of the first armature championship contributed to the creation of the golf resorts where the game of golf could be played (Oliver 24). The major purpose for the creation of the golf resorts in the United States was to provide the serene environment with all the facilities to enable playing the game.

One of the oldest golf resorts in the United States of America is the Newport Country Club. It is known for being the host of one of the first golf tournaments in the United States of America (Oliver 24). Often, many countries and delegates participating in the golf activities require exquisite accommodation that befits their status in the society. Therefore, golf resorts provide hospitality services, the grounds for training and playing golf, and the opportunity for one to subscribe to their membership.

Throughout the history of golf resorts in the United States, they have served as exclusive hospitality joints, primarily made for the golfers. The purpose of all original golf resorts was to offer exclusive services to those who participated in the golfing activities. Other golf resorts established in the late 1800s include Shinnecock Hills Golf Club and the Chicago Golf Club (Mumford and Phil 48). As such, major golfing activities in the United States of America began in New York before spreading to other states within the country, such as Chicago. The continuous spreading of the golf resorts is an evidence of the growth of the popularity of the golfing game and activities.

Comparison between a Normal Hotel and a Hotel with Golf Resorts

A normal hotel and a hotel with golf resorts have stark differences based on the revenues and the income that they earn. In the year 2014, the yearly revenue received from the golf resorts was approximately $24 billion (Mumford and Phil 48). One may further note that the golf resorts have been a direct contributor to approximately 300,000 jobs in the United States of America (Mumford and Phil 48). Though it is not easy to identify the net profit earned by the golf resorts, the revenue received from the golf resorts is a significant contributor to the economy of the United States of America.

The main activities that are often present in the golf resorts are golf training, golf tournaments, golf driving ranges, and family fun centers. The average annual growth rate of the golf industry of the United States of America is approximately 3%, according to the data collected over the last three years (Mumford and Phil 48). Furthermore, there are more than 40,000 jobs generated in the golf industry (Mumford and Phil 48). On the other hand, normal hotels have combined annual revenue of approximately $162 billion and an annual growth rate of 3.7%, thus supporting approximately 40,000 businesses in the United States of America (Mumford and Phil 48).

In comparison, the annual growth rate and the number of businesses that the golf resorts and the normal hotels support are equal. Therefore, golf resorts seem to rival with the normal hotels with regard to the number of businesses that they support and the rate of growth that they have annually.

Nevertheless, in contrast, normal hotels seem to outweigh the golf resorts with regard to the revenue that they collect. The annual revenues of the golf resorts and the normal hotels are approximately $24 billion and $162 billion, respectively (Mumford and Phil 48). Consequently, the revenue of the normal hotels is six times larger than the revenue that golf resorts generate. However, the value of the golf resorts is worth considering concerning the contribution that they make to the economy of the United States. Particularly, one should take into consideration the foreign exchange, the number of jobs that they create, and the businesses that they support.

The Impact of Gold Resorts on the Performance of a Hotel

Golf resorts assist hotels in their performance, regarding the number of guests that they are able to accommodate. Moreover, golf resorts are the geographical location where those who love golf and golf-related activities prefer to gather and (Mumford and Phil 48). The performance of a hotel depends on the size, geographical location, and the type of products and services that they offer. The physical location helps hotels to create the exquisite ambiance to attract their target clientele.

Furthermore, golf resorts have the ability to mobilize people for the various golfing activities. As such, golf resorts create the demand for golfers to seek opportunities for accommodation and recreational activities. The demand for the hospitality services of golf resorts creates a ripple effect on the hotel by presenting the need for the hotel to expand in size and diversify the products that it has to offer (Diener, Amisha, and Jaclyn 14). Particularly, hotels should take into consideration the demands of visitors of the golf resorts. For instance, there should be diversified foods and meals to satisfy people from different cultures gathering in various golfing events.

The Future of Golf Resorts

The future of golf resorts depends on how they will offer their hospitality products and services to individuals from the new generation. The older generation who had their subscription to golf had the opinion of golf being a game for the elite and the well-moneyed people. Therefore, golfing resorts were exclusive places where rich persons had the opportunity to meet with other players, have a rest, and talk about their economic growth (Diener, Amisha, and Jaclyn 14). However, the situation seems to change regarding the new generation of golfers and those who seek subscription to the golf resorts.

The future of golf resorts in the United States of America also rests on the preferences and interests of the middle class. There is an opinion that the wealthy population of the United of America constitutes approximately one percent of the total population of the United States. The economic growth of the United States after the recession also shows the evidence that more people are getting out of the lower economic rung of the social ladder and advancing into the middle class (Diener, Amisha, and Jaclyn 14). With the number of people living below the poverty line and those who are wealthy, the American middle class is seen to be on the rise. As a result, the future of the golf resorts depends on the ability to attract the middle-class population.

The major issue that the middle class is grappling with is the need to have a stake in the real estate market. The latter is known to offer apartments that private golf courses have. As such, the golf resorts need to have the plan of moving away from the court sides and side with the real estate developers to develop small golf courses located near the area where the middle class resides (Diener, Amisha, and Jaclyn 14).

The golf courses that target the new millennium generation also have to shed off the old perspective of the current golf courses. The current image of the golf resorts asserts that the golf courses are old buildings in the countryside with a restricted access that favors the wealthy and the old people (Diener, Amisha, and Jaclyn 14). The game of golf needs to create a conducive environment where the new generation of people will have an opportunity to participate in the game of golf as a leisure activity.

Conclusion

The future of golf resorts rests on the history of golfing in the United States of America. Moreover, hotels should meet the desires and needs of the middle class of the United States by providing golf resorts with the opportunity of diversification and expansion. The geographical location and design of the golf resorts need to attract the new generation of golfers. Thus, golf resorts should not focus only on the golf activities but also on the family events related to golfing. In addition, the golf resorts need to shed off the tag that golf is an exclusive game of the rich. Instead, it should persuade the clients that golf is a game of the upper and the lower middle class across all the states in the United States of America. Furthermore, golf resorts need to have a partnership with the real estate developers in the United States and adhere to the changing needs of the middle-class people. Finally, the golf resorts should have the ability to develop small golf courses and micro resorts in the rising middle-class regions to increase the number of people who have an interest in the game of golf.