Kissimmee, Florida, United States: On the heels of the US Open, golf’s second Major of 2020, Golf Datatech, LLC, has announced that US retail golf equipment sales for August 2020 were up nearly 32% over the same period in 2019, exceeding the previous all-time high figures for August (2006), by 15%.

In total, US golf retail equipment sales for August 2020 were US$331 million, compared to August 2019, which were US$251 million, and the previous record year of August 2006, which were US$287 million. 

Additionally, five equipment categories, set all-time records for August: balls, irons, wedges, bags and gloves.

Overall, golf bags were the best performing equipment category in August, up 55% versus August 2019, while year-to-date (YTD) bag sales are up 5%.

“Golf Datatech started tracking golf equipment sales in 1997 and we have never seen a surge like what has happened in the summer of 2020, coming out of the worldwide shutdown from Covid-19,” said John Krzynowek, Partner, Golf Datatech, LLC, a leading independent market research firm for retail sales, consumer and trade trends in the golf industry.

He added: “While the overall 2020 US retail golf equipment market is still down 4.1 % YTD from 2019, this spike is nothing short of remarkable considering the game and business of golf was shut down for a good part of the spring season.

“The August sales record, which followed an all-time record month in July, is great news for the industry moving forward. It indicates how popular golf is today, especially as an ideal social distancing activity. 

“Newcomers are coming into the game, existing golfers are playing much more, and those who once played but left for a while are returning, which is the perfect combination to drive rounds played and spike equipment sales at retail.”