PGA Operations Benchmark

A free industry benchmarking report to grow the game of golf

Report Overview2023-03-06T23:47:44+00:00

Using aggregated market data from participating facilities, the free PGA Operations Benchmark gives operators the power to make data-driven decisions.

The PGA Operations Benchmark is the only way to truly understand how your course compares to the market. Our benchmarks offer the clearest picture of overall facility performance and empower operators to make informed decisions that are backed-up by independent data.

Your custom report is compiled monthly and presented in an interactive online format. It’s the easiest way to see and understand key market factors that impact your business—all at your fingertips. This free service is provided in partnership by the PGA of America and Sagacity Golf.

PGA Operations Benchmark
PGA Operations Benchmark

January 2022 Monthly Public Benchmarks

How do you compare to January National numbers? Sign Up to see how you stack up.

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OCCUPANCY
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ARPR
$0
RevPAR

Don’t leave money on the table

Price optimization has been proven to increase green fee revenues. Our TruDemand Technology will show you by how much.

Know your true performance

Market benchmarks are the only way to know how your facility truly performs. You can trust our aggregated data.

Make data-driven decisions

You should have the whole picture when making important business decisions. Benchmarking gives you the facts.

Checks & balances on operations

Tee sheet and point of sale numbers should match on rounds. Our comparison checks and helps you find the cause when they don’t.

The service is 100% free for everyone

There are no hidden fees or trial periods that expire. The PGA of America and Sagacity Golf are providing this service for free.

Your data is secure & confidential

Your data is held in the highest confidence. Only aggregated facility data is shared with other participants.

Last year was the best year for golf we’ve seen in a long time.
But everyone else had a great year too.

How do you know how your performance stacks up to the market? How does your facility truly perform?

To answer these questions, golf course owners and operators are turning to PGA Operations Benchmark.

Report Overview

We start with a comparison of your total rounds, green fee revenue and average rate. For each, you see the market number, an index showing if you are above or below the market, and how the index changed from last month. It’s a powerful snapshot of current performance and shows how you’re trending.

A comparison of your total rounds, green fee revenue and average rate.

Rounds & Rates by Category

Just like the clubs in your golf bag deliver different results on the course, Rate Categories deliver different results for your facility. Group rounds typically deliver the highest yield, followed by Public, and Promo. Cardholder and Member are rounds played by your most “loyal” golfers, and Comp and Barter rounds should be watched closely. By taking all individual Fee Names from your tee sheet and mapping them to common categories, PGA Operations Benchmark offers you the ability to evaluate how you fill your tee sheet compared to the market.

Rounds & Rates by Category

Revenue & Average Price by Category

For most facilities, Green Fees & Cart Fees account for more than 80% of Revenue by Category. Here you compare your main revenue category to the market along with your other major categories like Retail/Merchandise, Food & Beverage, and Driving Range. The percentage of sales for each category is compared to the market along with the average price per item. It’s a clear measure of how each sales category stacks up with your peers.

Revenue & Average Price by Category
Ready to get Started?

Sign up today to gain a new window into your facilities true performance, have the facts you need to make data-driven decisions, and if you’re a PGA Member, earn MSR Credits.

Round & Green Fee Benchmarks

Round & Green Fee Benchmarks

Golf Facility Occupancy

Golf Facility Occupancy = Rounds Played / Capacity

You probably know and compare your rounds month-to-month and year-over-year. But when your rounds are trending up or down, do you know if that’s market-driven or due to course conditions or your marketing efforts? The Occupancy benchmark helps answer that question. Your percent of occupancy is compared to the market average with a simple index showing if you are performing above or below the market average.

ARPR = Green Fee Revenue / Rounds Played

Your average rate is a common measure of your month-to-month rate performance. While not as revealing as RevPAR, it’s an important performance indicator, especially when you can compare it directly with the market average.

RevPAR = Green Fee Revenue  / Capacity

RevPAR is based on all available rounds. It’s a better indicator of course performance than ARPR and provides the truest measure of how you’re doing. Comparing your RevPAR to the market average removes the veil on course performance.

Group Bookings = Group Rounds / Total Rounds

Group bookings are usually the most lucrative business for your golf course. Groups book in advance, pay more per player and spend more on merchandise and food and beverage. Are you doing as much group business as others in your market? Quoting group business can be challenging: Overpricing sends business to your competitors and underpricing may result in less overall revenue. Once you understand how your course compares, there are group pricing tools available to help you make sure every quote is profitable and competitive.

Round & Green Fee Benchmarks
Revenue Benchmarks

Revenue Benchmarks

Revenue Benchmarks

Golf Revenue Per Round

Golf Revenue Per Round = Golf Revenue / Rounds

Golf revenue per round includes all revenues related to rounds played. It includes green fees, cart fees and other green fee related revenue. It’s a great indicator of how your numbers compare.

Retail Revenue Per Round = Retail Revenue / Rounds

A strong retail operation can provide significant additional revenue. Knowing if you are leading or lagging behind the market on a per round basis will help you decide if new retail efforts could improve overall revenue.

Food & Beverage Per Round = Food & Beverage Revenue / Rounds

The food and beverage operation can be another significant revenue generator for many courses. Could you be doing more based on market benchmarks? If you are below the market average, it’s a strong indicator that you have room to grow your F&B revenue.

Total Revenue Per Round = Total Revenue / Rounds

Total revenue per round wraps-up course performance into one simple benchmark. Everything is on the table when you compare this overall average to your market. Being above or below this average is the-buck-stops-here of performance indicators.

Mike Woods, Director of Golf at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex

“Using benchmarking without a doubt, I’m spending less time managing our pricing at our golf courses and getting better results.”

Mike WoodsMike Woods, Director of Golf at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex

“Using benchmarking without a doubt, I’m spending less time managing our pricing at our golf courses and getting better results.”

Mike WoodsMike Woods, Director of Golf at Haggin Oaks Golf Complex
TruDemand Analysis

TruDemand Technology

Using Sagacity Golf’s TruDemand Technology, see how much more green fee revenue can be generated by implementing demand-based price optimization. Forecaddie knows the hourly demand for tee times at your facility and can confidently project these revenue gains. Don’t leave this money on the table every month.

The PGA of America & Sagacity Golf

Join the PGA of America and your fellow operators leading the next innovation in the game of golf: Operations Benchmarking. It’s easy to sign up and participate — any public or semi-private club in the United States is welcome to join.

Program FAQs

Frequently Asked Questions about the PGA Operations Benchmark

Should I participate in more than one program?2021-07-20T12:57:57+00:00

If you’re already participating in a data-sharing program you can still sign up for the PGA Operations Benchmark. It’s 100% free, confidential, and easy to use. The time commitment is less than 15-minutes per month, and PGA Members can earn MSR Credits for participating. After a few months, you can decide which programs work best for your facility.

Does the report use Tee Sheet and Point of Sale data?2021-06-24T08:01:43+00:00

The report compares your Tee Sheet and Point of Sale data to determine how the rounds and green fee revenue balance between the systems. If the rounds and revenue are aligned within three percent, you see a green checkmark. If not, you are provided with resources to help determine why your systems are not reporting the same information.

Why should I participate?2021-06-23T15:11:15+00:00

As a participant, you will gain a new window into your true performance, have the facts you need to make data-driven decisions, and if you’re a PGA Member, earn MSR Credits along the way. Everyone benefits from understanding their market benchmarks. Without facilities anonymously sharing their operational data, there would be no way to accurately gauge how you’re doing relative to the market. Having the whole picture when making important business decisions is something every operator should support. Everyone is stronger when working together to grow the game of golf.

How is information grouped on the report?2021-06-24T08:02:18+00:00

To compare information between facilities using different fee names and categories, all the data is mapped into standard groups for both the Tee Sheet and the Point of Sale. This mapping process allows apples-to-apples comparisons with the market. Information about rounds played is mapped into seven groups: Public, Promo, Member, Cardholder, Group, Package and Comp & Barter, while revenue information is mapped into six groups: Green Fees & Cart Fees, Pre & Post-Paid Fees, Retail/Merchandise, Food & Beverage, Driving Range Fees (if applicable) and Other Revenue.

What’s the time commitment for the Benchmark Data Provider?2021-06-23T15:30:24+00:00

Usually, the time commitment is less than 15-minutes per month. The primary requirement is running a couple reports from your Tee Sheet and Point of Sale system each month, and then emailing them to data@sagacitygolf.com. Sagacity has easy-to-follow directions for each report. You will receive an email reminder each month with those directions when it’s time to run the reports. Occasionally, Sagacity may have questions about the data you provide and ask follow-up questions. And, once annually, you will be asked to complete an online operational survey about your facility.

Will my data be shared?2021-06-23T15:07:07+00:00

Your facility-specific data is always kept strictly confidential and will never be shared without your explicit consent. Internal access to your data is on an as-needed basis for employees with specific use cases, such as customer support or technology services. Sagacity Golf has been successfully providing anonymous data-sharing services for years while maintaining the highest-levels of confidentiality.

Is my data shared with the PGA of America?2021-07-15T08:18:30+00:00

Your facility-specific data is not shared with anyone, including the PGA of America. However, aggregated market data may be shared, as it is shared with other facilities, and user data is shared so PGA Members can receive their MSR Credits.

What market-level operational benchmarks are on the report?2021-06-24T08:02:51+00:00

The report currently offers eight market-level operational benchmarks: Occupancy, ARPR (Average Rate Per Round), RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Round), Direct Bookings (course vs. third-party), Golf Revenue Per Round, Retail Revenue Per Round, Food & Beverage Per Round, and Total Revenue Per Round. For each of the benchmarks you can select the month, a comparison level (National, State or Designated Market Area, DMA), a facility type (Daily Fee, Municipal or Resort) and a rate tier ($, $$, $$$ or $$$$).

Can’t Sagacity use an interface to get the data?2021-07-28T20:23:34+00:00

In some cases, Sagacity already has interfaces to Electronic Tee Sheet (ETS) and Point of Sale (POS) systems. If that’s the case for your facility, you may only need to answer follow-up questions about the data (and you will still earn MSR Credits if you’re a PGA Member). Sagacity is working toward having interfaces for all major ETS and POS system providers. View our supported systems.

How is my data used?2022-01-06T15:37:51+00:00

Your data is used to compile market averages for reporting purposes. It is never released or used in isolation, except as approved by you for specific Sagacity products. To prevent the possibility of anyone identifying course-specific data in an aggregated set, data is only shared when set averages are comprised of five or more facilities.

What is the free PGA Operations Benchmark?2021-07-28T00:17:59+00:00

Using aggregated market data from participating facilities, the free PGA Operations Benchmark gives a new window into your true performance. The primary market benchmarks include Occupancy, ARPR (Average Rate Per Round), RevPAR (Revenue Per Available Round), Direct Bookings (course vs. third-party), Golf Revenue Per Round, Retail Revenue Per Round, Food & Beverage Per Round, and Total Revenue Per Round.

The report also compares Tee Sheet and Point of Sale data to determine if the rounds and green fee revenue balance between the systems. In addition, our TruDemand Technology shows the amount of additional green fee revenue facilities can capture by implementing a price optimization solution.

What is a PGA Benchmark Data Provider?2021-07-28T00:24:10+00:00

A Benchmark Data Provider is a person at the facility responsible for running a couple reports each month and emailing them to Sagacity Golf. The Benchmark Data Provider may or may not be a PGA Member. However, PGA Members receive MSR Credits for participating in the program. Everyone that contributes gets access to a free PGA Operations Benchmark for their facility.

How many MSR Credits can I earn as the Benchmark Data Provider?2021-08-14T18:28:41+00:00

A PGA Member can earn up to seven (7) MSR Credits during the first year of participation as the Benchmark Data Provider. Designated as “Service to National,” your first (1) MSR Credit is earned just by signing up and submitting your first month of data. Then, for every three months of data provided, you will earn (1) MSR Credit up to a maximum of four (4) MSR Credits per year, also designated as “Service to National.”

The last two (2) MSR Credits are earned when you complete the annual operations survey, and those two credits apply toward “PGA Required” member education requirements provided that a minimum of three months of data has also been submitted.

In subsequent years of participation, you can earn six (6) MSR Credits as outlined above.

If there is more than one PGA Member at my course who gets the credits?2021-07-28T00:58:50+00:00

The highest-ranked PGA Member at your facility is eligible to receive the MSR Credits. However, they may delegate the responsibilities to another PGA Member on staff who can earn the credits in their place. Please discuss the Benchmark Data Provider role with the highest-ranked PGA Member at your facility prior to signing up.

How and when will the credits be recorded with the PGA of America?2021-06-24T08:27:10+00:00

Every quarter, a report will be provided to the PGA of America by Sagacity Golf. The report will outline the participating PGA members and the credits earned based on the number of submissions. For the credits to count, data must have been provided for each consecutive month the facility is open during the quarter. If you sign up after the start of a quarter, you may still provide all the historical data for any month that was missed and earn MSR Credit.

What if I switch facilities or want to give me responsibility to someone else?2021-07-28T00:59:31+00:00

If you switch facilities and no one at the new facility is providing data, you can sign up as the Benchmark Data Provider. However, before you leave your old facility, please find a replacement (even if they are not a PGA Member). Data continuity is important when providing the most accurate reporting possible. Please have your replacement sign up using the online form. If you can’t find a replacement, please send an email to data@sagacitygolf.com and let us know.

What if I miss a month, or don’t get my reports in on time?2021-06-24T08:27:41+00:00

It is critical that the reports are emailed to Sagacity in a timely manner. Because the data for a market must be aggregated, reports cannot be produced until all facilities in a market have submitted their monthly data. Benchmark Data Providers that do not provide their facility data by the 5th of the month may not earn their MSR Credits. However, Sagacity prefers that you always submit your monthly data, even if it’s late.

What else is on the report?2021-07-28T20:45:29+00:00

The report includes an Operations Profiles with your PGA Section and Chapter (if applicable), your rate tier, facility type, tee sheet vendor and point of sale vendor and the number of holes at your facility. The report also uses TruDemand Technology showing the amount of additional green fee revenue courses can capture using a price optimization solution like Sagacity Golf’s Forecaddie product.

Can anyone participate?2022-09-29T18:54:34+00:00

Participation is open to any public, semi-private, and private club in the United States. Anyone at your facility can sign up to be the Benchmark Data Provider. However, if they are also a member of the PGA, they will earn MSR Credits too. Currently, private clubs are not able to participate but they will be able to soon.

Is there a Privacy & Data Sharing Policy?2021-07-28T00:33:51+00:00

The latest Privacy & Data Sharing Policy is always available online. All participating facilities must review and approve the terms and conditions when they sign up. Any changes to the policy are disclosed in advance, and facilities may opt-out before any changes take effect. The goal is to always act in the best interests of our customers. The PGA of America and Sagacity take data security, privacy, and your trust very seriously.

Is my data secure?2022-01-06T15:40:58+00:00

Sagacity Golf employs the latest security protocols to keep your data safe and secure. Sagacity is Payment Card Industry (PCI) certified, which requires passing third-party vulnerability scans on an ongoing basis, and they use the latest encryption technology. Their data warehouse is co-located at a hardened data facility and backed-up at remote sites in case of disaster. They also follow strict internal procedures and have built-in safeguards to protect your data 24/7.

Who is the PGA of America?2021-06-23T14:59:52+00:00

The PGA of America is one of the world’s largest sports organizations, composed of PGA Professionals who work daily to grow interest and participation in the game of golf. To learn more about the PGA of America visit: www.pga.org

Is a sample report available?2021-07-28T21:49:34+00:00

An image of a sample report is available.  While the image is not interactive, it does show all the elements of the report.

What does it cost?2021-07-28T00:56:08+00:00

There is no cost to participate and receive free access to PGA Operations Benchmark. If your facility submits data, you will have access to the interactive online report that details your performance as compared to the market. While Sagacity offers additional paid products and services, you are under no obligation to subscribe. The PGA Operations Benchmark will remain a free service provided in partnership by the PGA of America and Sagacity.

Who is Sagacity Golf?2021-07-28T20:21:45+00:00

Sagacity Golf is in partnership with the PGA of America to provide the free PGA Operations Benchmark to every golf course in the U.S. at no charge. Sagacity currently provides reporting and price optimization solutions to over 800 golf courses around the country. Sagacity is a trusted partner, helping golf courses unlock new revenue opportunities every day. To learn more about Sagacity Golf visit: www.sagacitygolf.com

How do I sign up to be the Benchmark Data Provider?2021-08-14T18:29:16+00:00

You can sign up online in less than five minutes. If you are a member of the PGA, have your membership number and chapter information handy (you will also earn one (1) MSR Credit just for signing up and submitting your first month of data). Non-PGA Members will only need to provide the name of their facility and contact information. Someone from Sagacity will follow-up to help you get started with the program.

Ready to get started?

Sign up today to gain a new window into your facilities true performance, have the facts you need to make data-driven decisions, and if you’re a PGA Member, earn MSR Credits.

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