A study of over 2,000 golfers conducted by FL-based
Golf Datatech during the summer of '99 found that "golfers
of the computer generation are relying heavily on the
Internet to get information about the game -- and the medium
is winning over avid traditional golfers" as well, according
to Gene Yasuda of GOLFWEEK. Of the respondents, 530 were
"Internet golfers," who participated via golfweek.com, while
1,005 were "Serious golfers," who were identified by Golf
Datatech's "proprietary database combined with" 505 GolfWeek
subscribers. The study showed that the average age of the
"Internet golfer" is 41, compared to that of the "serious
golfer," which is 51, and that the "Internet golfer" plays
fewer rounds of golf annually (48 vs. 65) and has a lower
mean household income ($76,300 vs. $87,100). The average
"Internet golfer" goes online 12 times a week for a total of
11 hours, while the "serious golfer" goes online "slightly
more" than eight times a week for a total of eight hours.
Seventy percent of "serious golfers" said that they "spend
less than 20% of their time" online on golf related sites,
but 61% of "Internet golfers" spend "more than" 20% of their
time "viewing golf sites." Also, 66% of "Internet golfers"
and 56% of "serious golfers" are "watching less" TV to
"make time" to use the Internet (GOLFWEEK, 9/23).
