TRENDS
NUMBER OF ROUNDS
30,000 20,000 38,000 36,000 34,000 32,000 40,000 50,000 48,000 46,000 44,000 42,000
The chart below illustrates the trend in rounds played at each course since 2011. The large drop in rounds in 2022 and 2023 at Springbrook was due to the planned closing of the course for renovations in 2022, and the delayed reopening of the course after renovations in the early summer of 2023. In 2025, with continued strong demand and limited weather interruptions, both courses are projecting to finish the golf season close to the record numbers for rounds experienced in 2024. For 2026 rounds are forecasted using 3-year averages, adjusting for weather impacts. YEAR SPRINGBROOK NAPERBROOK 2011 36,933 35,088 2012 41,154 37,024 2013 37,816 34,154 2014 36,043 33,971 2015 38,597 37,832 2016 36,291 37,362 2017 36,267 36,527 2018 33,797 31,260 2019 34,314 32,459 2020 42,603 38,800 2021 42,139 42,721 2022 21,287 42,761 2023 22,956 45,988 2024 44,700 44,400 *2025 45,900 45,500 *2026 44,052 43,683 *Projected Rounds
Springbrook Naperbrookk
2011 2012 2013 2014 2015 2016 2017 2018 2019
2020
2021 2022
2023 2024 *2025 *2026
Golf’s participation numbers after the 2008 recession dropped from the levels seen in the late 1990’s and early 2000’s but had shown stabilization pre-pandemic on a national and local level. The National Golf Foundation market research revealed that while golf has had some issues related to participation trends over last decade or so, it remains a very important part of the local lifestyle, and an attraction for suburban residents of Naperville and the DuPage and Will County markets. Despite the drop in participation from the levels seen during the “golf boom”, NGF research shows that the game remains popular and is fortunate to have a deep well of interested prospects. The 2020-2025 golf seasons has provided evidence of golf’s continued importance for recreational opportunities on both a local and national scale. Golf rounds during and post pandemic have returned to levels seen in the early 2000’s. Growth in the game of golf has been realized with increases in private and group lesson programs, especially junior programming, which has added to the increased optimism for the current increase in golf interest to continue. Driving range use has seen significant increases,
and concession revenues have improved as new and returning golfers helped push both those revenues higher. Despite the increases to rounds brought on by the pandemic, golf still has potential threats to revenues. Most notable is the weather, and its positive or negative influence on rounds. In 2018 and 2019, the weather was a negative factor during significant stretches, and higher than normal precipitation reduced the playable days and round totals at each course. 2022 saw significant weather impacts in the spring due to colder and wetter than normal weather, however, the weather provided increased playable days in the summer and fall months as drier than normal weather patterns helped rounds totals rebound to levels at or above previous years. The weather in 2025 began with both courses opening in March, several weeks later than the courses had opened in 2024. The spring weather helped provide positive round numbers, which did not slow down in the summer despite higher-than-normal temperatures. Late summer and fall weather experienced drier than normal precipitation levels, which helped continue the high number of rounds into the fall.
2026 BUDGET 74
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