ABSTRACT
A market is best thought of as a productive matching of supply and demand—not just a head count of potential customers, even if that were possible. Drawing on the author's experience of carrying out research nationally for Sports Councils and locally for enterprise companies and developers, the paper describes a methodology for appraising potential demand for new golf facilities. The methodology takes account of the limited national and local data available, but also recognises the need for demand appraisals to be project-specific. In particular, the demand for any project will both influence and be influenced by the facilities to be provided, and how these are managed and marketed. Even the most rigorous demand assessments can at best provide targets, not guarantees. But, seen in this light, a good demand assessment becomes an integral part of the whole process of successful site selection, design, implementation, management and marketing of new golf facilities. The ‘golf boom’ is dead; long live good new golf development, where science and art combine to create facilities which meet real demand, and which can be both financially viable and environmentally friendly in so doing.
