Southern golf courses like Richmond's Federal Club benefited from a generally mild February.

As the weather goes, so goes golf…mostly

        Golf courses struggling for survival would certainly benefit by putting a particular crusty, unpredictable, temperamental independent contractor in charge of their operations.  Of course, Mother Nature is not for hire, so praying for sun and warm temperatures will have to do for now.

        The National Golf Foundation just released its monthly report for rounds played across the United States, and where it was warm, albeit wet,

in February, rounds were up, in some cases significantly, compared with February 2010.  Indeed in those areas of the country where you would not expect golf to be played at all in February, rounds played increased (as a percentage) more than anywhere else.  In all regions of the country except the Mountain area and California, rounds were up by healthy percentages.  In New England, where a February thermometer reading of 25 degrees is considered a heat wave in Maine, for example, rounds were up a whopping 290% despite temperatures that averaged almost 6 degrees lower and where rain and snowfall increased more than 8% from last year.  They’re a hardy bunch, those New England golfers.

        Nationally, rounds played in February were up a total of 19%; year to date, the increase was almost 14%. 

        In the southeast, the focus of most of our attention here at Golf Community Reviews, rounds were up nearly 29% as Mother Nature was at her most cooperative.  (Temperatures averaged 9 degrees higher than in February 2010 and precipitation was off 17%).  In the area from Texas east to the Mississippi River, rounds were up 55%.  These were the only two regions with a positively perfect storm of weather in February -– higher temperatures and lower rainfall readings. 

        If you are contemplating the purchase of a primary or second home in the southern U.S., not only will you find accommodating weather next winter, but right now you will find prices in many fine golf communities at their lowest points in years.  Contact me and I will be happy to discuss which golf communities will suit you best.

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