The Rise of the Golf Industry: Home and Abroad.

There is no ignoring the great increase in the golfing industry over the past decade. It is becoming the fastest growing sport all over the world. It is already the fastest growing sport in the United States. The game and its uniqueness has caught the eye of many people all over the world and in turn that catches the eye of many businesses that might want to use golf to their advantage by understanding the foreign market and try and relate there business to golf.

Golf the fastest growing sport in the world? Where? Golf has been growing in America ever since the introduction of Tiger Woods into the golf industry. As soon as Tiger hit the scene in the golfing world he was an instant phenomenon. Nike and Titleist together gave him a sixty million dollar deal right after he won his first professional tournament. It was the start of Nike entering the golf industry and they single handedly have Tiger Woods to thank.

Tiger gives golf the same sort of boost overseas that he is delivering in the U.S., but golf mania hit Asia long ago. Limited space means many Asian countries have built an entire golf culture around the driving range. Go to any driving range in Taiwan or Japan and it is standing-room only. The driving range is what mostly all of the Asian golf world has. American companies have realized this and have begun advertising at many different driving ranges. The names of MacGregor, Nike Golf, Titleist, and Callaway are all over each tee box at a standard driving range in Asia.

Since the late 1980s, improving economies in Asia have translated into more disposable income and an appetite for the status symbols that accompany it. Tommy Armour Golf Co., already in every Asian market, anticipates that its strongest growth will come from Korea, says President and CEO Michael Magerman. Unofficial estimates say there are more than 25 million golfers and 4,300 golf courses in the Asia-Pacific region. In the U.S., there are some 25 million golfers and 15,390 courses, according to the National Golf Foundation.

Japan, the second-largest golf market after the U.S., has been a driving force in bringing golf to the rest of Asia, but it is rapidly becoming a case of limited supply and increasing demand. The high cost of golfing at home, a round of golf can easily top $200 per person, spurred a rash of course development across Asia. Many are designed by high-profile players such as Greg Norman, Jack Nicklaus, and Arnold Palmer. Now, many Japanese ''find it much cheaper, even with airfare, to play elsewhere in Asia,'' says Tad Fujimatsu, chairman of JAL International Services Inc. in New York.

Golf has become the number one resource for many countries when it comes down trying to gain tourism to the country. Advertising campaigns have been made for many different countries in the world trying to increase the amount to people that visit that country and in turn be a boost to the nation’s economy. Golf is one of the major revenue earners in the area of tourism all over the world. In the United States of America alone, the golf market generates about $15 billion every year.

Vacation plans are built around the sport of golf where, a package will include a flight, a hotel and 5 rounds of golf. It is quickly becoming a tourism industry standard. Many of the people who live in the U.S. and travel outside of the U.S. have golf as hobby. It is not necessarily the reason why they travel but merely something that they look to take advantage of.

Aside from the U.S. and Japan golf is considered and sport for the wealthy. Golf courses in many other countries are not that easy to come by and when they are they tend to be expensive. The game it self can be very expensive for those who just start to pick up the game. A decent set of golf clubs now can cost around $800 and that is not nearly the most expensive. Then on top of that you need a driver and putter and fairway woods and a bag. Not to mention the average of $50 for a greens fee and cart every time you want to use those clubs.

Golf has not really spread too greatly in other regions of the world for exactly those reasons. Popularity of things usually arises from the interest by the youth. Young people begin building a hobby and keep in throughout their life. Soccer dominates the world. It is the number one sport among youth every but North America. In Canada hockey, America golf and baseball are close and in Mexico it is baseball.

Golf has not really reached many different areas of the world because of the cost. In Africa the only place where people go to golf is South Africa and even then it is very expensive. Soccer among other native sports dominates that region. In Europe the sport of golf is still very much known as a rich persons sport and is looked at as prestigious and respectable. Not too popular to average income individuals, whereas here in the U.S. the average income