The golf operation market - France (2024)

1.2 Global market

Growth in the size of the US golf course market United States, ****-****, in $ billions Source: ****

Over the past decade, the US golf farm market has maintained apparent stability, growing slightly until ****, peaking at $**.** billion. Since then, despite some fluctuations, the sector has maintained a stable overall trend, with a slight decline in **** to $**.** billion. This stability could reflect potential market saturation, or adjustments in response to changes in the economy or consumer behavior. The influence of the COVID-** pandemic on golf and leisure activities in general could also have contributed to these variations.

Distribution of the world's **,*** golf courses World, ****, in Source: ****

In ****, the global distribution of the **,*** golf courses reveals a significant concentration, with the USA in the lead, accounting for **. *% of the total. Japan, the UK and Canada follow with shares of *.*%, *.*% and *.*% respectively.Australia, Germany, France, Korea and Sweden also make significant contributions, with shares ranging from *.*% to *.*%. China and the rest of the world account for *.*% and **.*% respectively.

This breakdown underlines the hegemony of the USA in the global golf landscape, demonstrating the historical importance and continuing popularity of golf in this country.

Extrapolating this proportion on the size of the US golf course market, where ...

1.2 The national golf market

Trend in the size of the French sports facility management market France, ****-****, € billion Source: ****

From **** to ****, the French market for sports facility management activities fluctuated. In ****, sales were €*.*** billion, peaking in **** at €*.*** billion. The pandemic led to a drop in **** to *.*** billion euros, but a recovery was seen in **** to *.*** billion euros. Projections for **** anticipate continued growth, estimating sales at *.*** billion euros. These figures illustrate the market's resilience and ability to bounce back despite disruption.

Growth in the size of the French golf market France, ****-****, € billion Source: ****

Over the period from **** to ****, the French golf market, despite sustained growth, showed a trend towards stagnation, with sales dropping from €*.** billion in **** to €*.* billion in ****.

Breakdown of golf industry sales France, ****, in Source: ****

In ****, France has *** golf courses and ** structures under development. [***]

The golf sector represented *.* billion euros in **** in France and encompasses more than **,*** direct and indirect jobs. Sales in the industry grew by +*% between **** and ****. **% of total sales are generated by golf courses, and **% by golf tourism. Thus, golf course operations account for **% of the sales of the golf subsidiary in France. [***]

We can therefore estimate the current size of the French golf operation market at **% x *.* billion = €*** ...

2.1 Typology of demand

Licensees by gender France, **** Source: ****

In ****, the distribution of golf licensees in France highlights a significant disparity between the sexes, with a clear predominance of men, representing **% of licensees compared with just **% for women. This disproportion can have direct implications for the profitability of golf clubs, as a more diverse membership base offers greater financial potential.

Members by age and gender France, **** Source: ****

In ****, the breakdown of golf licensees in France by age and gender reveals several significant trends. Men dominate in all age categories, with a total of ***,*** members, while women account for **,*** members in the age groupage group *-**, *,*** in the **-** age group, **,*** in the **-** age group, and **,*** in the over-** age group. The most marked disparity is in the **-** age group, where men significantly outnumber women with ***.*** licensees versus **.***. This observation suggests a possible growth opportunity in female participation, particularly among middle-aged adults, which could be explored by golf clubs to broaden their membership base and potentially improve profitability.

Distribution of members by gender and ranking France, ****, in Source: ****

In ****, the breakdown of golf licensees in France by gender and ranking reveals some interesting disparities. Men dominate the licensed golf scene, accounting for **.*% of ranked ...

2.2 Golf trends in France

FFG licensees

The number of members of the French Golf Federation has been growing steadily since ****, after a period of sharp decline between **** and ****. In ****, there were ***,*** licensees, up +*.*% on ****.

Growth in the number of golf licenses issued annually France, ****-****, in € millions Source: ****

Between **** and ****, the number of annual golf licenses in France fluctuated. After a slight increase in **** and ****, reaching a total of over ***,*** licenses in ****, a significant increase was observed in ****. However, **** marked a decline probably linked to the COVID-** pandemic. A notable recovery occurred in ****: an increase of *.*% was recorded, followed by growth in ****.

Distribution of licensees by order type France, ****, in Source: ****

In ****, the breakdown of golf licensees in France shows a strong preference for renewal within the same club, accounting for **% of the total. A smaller number, **%, opt to renew at a different club. The creation of a license, which reflects newcomers to the world of golf, accounts for *% of all memberships. These figures reflect the high level of loyalty among golfers to their original clubs, but also suggest membership mobility, albeit on a more limited scale.

Breakdown of new memberships by club type France, ****, in Source: ****

In ****, the breakdown of golf license creations in ...

2.3 The rise of golf tourism

Golf tourist expenses France, ****, in € Source: ****

In ****, France welcomed ***,*** golf tourists, **% of whom were foreign. The expenditure of a golfing tourist, +**% higher than that of a traditional tourist, makes this consumer a key point of demand. The average golfing tourist spent €*** on accommodation, €*** on transport, €*** on catering and €** on related activities.

In ****, golf tourism spending in France reached €*** million, including €*** million from domestic tourists and €** million from foreign tourists.[***]

Countries of origin of international golf tourists France, ****, in % Source: ****

In ****, France attracted a significant number of international golf tourists, with a notable concentration from the UK and Ireland, accounting for a preponderant **% share. The Netherlands (***) also contributed significantly to this tourist flow. This geographical distribution underlines the particular appeal of the French territory for golf enthusiasts, mainly from neighbouring European countries.

For French golfers, the average length of a golfing holiday reached *.* days in ****, down nevertheless on **** (***). It's also worth noting that French golf tourists make the shortest international stays among their European neighbors: for example, Germans made international golf stays averaging * days in ****.

Average length of international golf stays by nationality Europe, ****-****, in % Source: ****

Between **** and ****, the average length of international golf stays in Europe varied significantly by nationality. ...

2.4 The cyclical nature of consumer demand

Evolution of interest in "Golf" research France, ****-**** Source: ****

The evolution of the "Golf" search on Google Trends in France shows a cyclical pattern linked to seasonality. Peak interest in August coincides with the summer golfing season. However, in April ****, a notable exception was observed, marked by a drop due to the pandemic.

3.1 Value chain

*Operations may be carried out by third parties under contract with the club

3.2 Golf clubs in France

Existing golf courses by management method France, ****, as % of total Source: ****

In France in ****, the breakdown of existing golf courses by management mode shows a predominance of independent golf courses, accounting for half of the total. Associative golfs follow with **%, followed by chain golfs with **%, and finally governed golfs with *%.Existing golf park by size

France, **** Source: ****

In France in ****, the number of existing golf courses is broken down by size, with *** courses of * holes or more, ** compact & pitch-putt non-golf courses, and ** practice courses. This diversity in golf course sizes offers golfers a range of options, from longer, traditional courses to more compact, practice-oriented facilities. Note that the number of golf parks is down on ****, when there were * more.

Geographical breakdown

Licensees by regional league France, **** Source: ****

In ****, the distribution of licensees by regional league in France highlights a significant concentration in certain regions. Paris boasts the highest number of licensees with **,*** members, closely followed by the Auvergne Rhône Alpes League with **,*** members. The regions of Nouvelle Aquitaine, PACA (***), and Ile de France also show a significant presence, each exceeding **,*** members. This uneven distribution may be influenced by factors such as population density, regional culture or availability of golf ...

3.3 Financial structure of the business

In ****, the average annual turnover of a golf course in France reached *** k€, down -**% between **** and ****. This decline in average sales is not, however, a sign of the poor health of golf courses in France, but rather the result of the increase in the number of smaller structures with lower sales, which mechanically pull down the national average. [***]

Average sales by structure size France, ****, in k€ Source: ****

In ****, average sales varied according to the size of golf structures in France. Courses with ** holes or more posted the highest sales, reaching *** k€, followed by *-hole courses with *** k€, and small structures and practices with *** k€. These figures reflect the correlation between facility size and financial performance.

Breakdown of golf course sales by structure type France, ****, in Source: ****

In addition, differences can also be discerned according to how the golf course is managed, and not just by size. For example, commercial golf courses account for over **% of total golf course sales in France, compared with **.*% for association golf courses. Chain-owned golf courses had average sales of €***,*** in ****, with average operating income of €**,***. Independent golf clubs have average annual sales of *** k€ for an average negative operating result of -** k€.

Sales and ...

3.4 Employment in the golf industry

In ****, the golf industry accounted for over **,*** jobs in France (***), including around **,*** direct jobs. There were *** establishments in ****.

Jobs in the golf industry France, **** Source: ****

In ****, the golf industry in France generated a total of **,*** jobs spread across various categories. Golf courses account for the bulk of these jobs with *,*** positions, followed by golf tourism with *,*** jobs. Jobs related to golf equipment amount to ***, while those associated with institutions and tournaments total ***. Golf-related media represent the category with the fewest jobs, totalling ***. These figures underline the scale of the economic impact and employment generated by the golf industry in France, highlighting the diversity of career opportunities within the industry.

Breakdown of clubs by number of employees France, ****, in units Source: ****

In ****, the breakdown of golf clubs in France by number of employees shows a predominance of small structures. **% of clubs have fewer than ** employees, indicating a marked trend towards smaller structures. Golf clubs with between ** and ** employees represent **% of the sample, showing a significant proportion of medium-sized clubs. In contrast, only *% of clubs have between ** and *** employees, underlining the rarity of large-scale clubs in terms of direct employment. This distribution highlights the diversity of golf club sizes in France, with a ...

4.1 Products and offer diversification

There are different types of golf course, classified according to size:

* holes, ** holes (***). Practice : a driving range is a practice area without holes or a course. Compact : the main aim of compact golf courses is to make them more accessible than larger courses. They are often located on the outskirts of towns, accessible by public transport and therefore do not require a private car. They are often small *-hole courses, so the time needed for a round is greatly reduced (***). Last but not least, green fees are also much lower than on larger courses. Pitch & putt: Pitch and putt is a form of golf in its own right. It's a shorter format in terms of distance (***), played with a maximum of * clubs, including the putter.

Source: ****

Additional services frequently found at golf courses

Pro-shop Restaurant or snack bar Changing rooms with showers

The most developed golf courses can also offer more advanced services:

One or more complementary courses (***) Staff who speak one or more foreign languages Presence of a caddy master and/or starter A sufficient number of golf bags for hire (***) A suitable number of golf carts (***) On-site or nearby accommodation, with the possibility of golf + accommodation packages Implementation ...

4.2 Golfing costs

The cost of playing golf varies greatly according to a number of criteria: seasonality, location, golf course size, management style... Below is a comparative table of practice fees (***):

Source: ****

In addition, here are the rates applied by the French Golf Federation for licenses in ****:

Adult license (***): €** Young Adult license (***): €** Youth (***): €** Child (***): €**

Source: ****

4.3 Golf operating modes

The different operating statuses of golf courses

There are several ways of operating a golf course, depending on a number of criteria:

Direct operation : the owner (***). Délégation de service public (***). Depending on the type of contract, the operator is more or less involved. Public operating contract: this is a service provision agreement between a local authority and an operator (***). Unlike a public service contract, the operator does not bear the operating risks, but must pay all revenues to the local authority. Leases: the owner (***) entrusts the management of his golf course to an operator who pays him a rent. Three types of lease are possible: Emphyteutic leases (***). It is the lessee's responsibility to improve the golf course. Construction lease: the lessee must build and maintain the buildings on the land. Unless a specific agreement has been signed, the landowner will be the owner of the facilities created. Commercial lease (***): the lessee manages the golf course and its business, and pays rent to the owner. Agreements: there are many different types of agreement, such as a public domain occupation agreement or a management mandate.

Source: ****

5.1 Administrative arrangements

Operating a golf course requires a complex administrative and regulatory process before it can be completed and opened.

The main regulatory points to be complied with are as follows:

Land conformity: on the site, the texts concerned are either the carte communale, the plan d'occupation des sols or the plan local d'urbanisme (***). Administrative regulations Environmental protection: water law dossier, impact study, Natura **** impact assessment Land use: preventive archaeology, development permits, building permits, land clearing Heritage: classified and listed sites, historic monuments, protected sectors, areas for the enhancement of architecture and heritage (***)

Details of the regulations in force are available on the French Golf Federation website, and the table below lists the main stages in the administrative set-up required to open a golf course. [***]

Source: ****

5.2 The environmental issue

Another important issue for the French golf operator market today is their ability to deal with environmental issues. For a long time, they have been accused of poor environmental practices, notably in terms of water consumption (***) and insufficient respect for biodiversity.

For this reason, a legislative framework governs the construction of golf courses. Biodiversity protection, for example, aims to maintain biological equilibrium and protect animal and plant species, as well as natural areas. As such, golf course operators must strive for maximum compatibility between their project and sustainable development, maintaining biodiversity and surrounding ecosystems. In concrete terms, these measures may involve, for example, the installation of water recovery systems (***), the use of non-polluting maintenance products, low-consumption lighting, waste sorting and recycling, the installation of solar panels to supply energy, etc. The aim is for existing golf establishments to adapt, and for facilities under construction to meet these environmental requirements.

6.1 Segmentation

• Bluegreen
• UGOLF
• Golfy
• Open Golf Club
• Sud France Golf
• Golf de Fontainebleau
• Golf de Deauville Saint-Gatien
• Golf de Villeneuve-sur-Lot
• Golf de Chantilly
• Lolivarie Golf Club
• Golf de Carcassonne
• Golf de Saint-Germain
• Espalais Golf Club
• Golf de Roquebrune
• Golf d’Ormesson-sur-Marne
• Golf d’Étretat
• Golf Saint Thomas
• Golf du Médoc
• Evian Resort Golf Club
• Duval Groupe
• Batconnect
• Trolem