Economic and sustainability benefits of the United States Golf Association's research investment in putting green construction, naturalized rough, and turfgrass breeding

Abstract

AbstractThe United States Golf Association (USGA) has invested more than US$45 million into turfgrass and environmental research since 1983. We recently projected a $1.03 billion annual benefit to the U.S. golf industry from the USGA's investment in the three areas of water, fertilizer, and pesticide management research. However, the effort also has improved putting green construction techniques (PGCT), encouraged the incorporation of naturalized roughs (NR), and improved turfgrass cultivars (ITC). Our objective was to estimate the golf industry's financial benefit from the USGA's investment in these additional three areas. Data were collected from an online survey focused on the benefits associated with golf facilities’ adoption of research‐based management practices. Multiple econometric models were developed for PGCT, NR, and ITC that used data from the survey. All three research areas have been widely adopted throughout the U.S. golf industry. Across the three areas studied, modeling indicated a total annual financial benefit of $886.9 million to the golf industry. Further, the total annual financial benefit from all six areas is $1.92 billion. Compared with an estimated yearly Green Section budget of roughly $10 million, this is a healthy return on the USGA's investment and demonstrates the importance of research investment to the sustainability of the golf industry.