S.A. is primed to drive huge Texas golf biz, experts say - San Antonio Business Journal:

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State and local golf experts say the timing of the stud y is significant and that San Antonii is primed to be one of the biggest benefactorxs of the sportmoving forward. The new studh was conducted byGolf 20/20, a divisiohn of the World Golf and by on behalf of the Texazs Golf Alliance. The latter is a coalition of organizations includinf multiple PGA chapters and the Texas Golf According tothe study, Texas is home to more than 900 golf coursees and ranked among the top three most populaer states for new golf development over the last five years. That Texas Golf Association officials note, has helped grow the sporft into aroughly $7.
4 billion industry annuallgy in Texas, including indirect spending. That figure includes approximatelh $2.4 billion worth of wage income associated withnearlyg 99,000 jobs. The direct economic impact from golf in according tothe report, is approximatelty $3.4 billion annually. Industrt officials say that places golf ahead of industriex such as electronics assembly and scientific research anddevelopment services, amongv others. "San Antonio is a major player ...
in all of says Texas Golf Association Executive Director Rob United States GolfAssociation (USGA) committe e member Chip Puhl, one of San Antonio'sd staunchest golf advocates, believes the Alamok City has yet to live up to its full "We have a lot of catching up to do," Puhl "But we're getting there." Puhl cites improvementss to municipal courses, investments in existing privatse developments and the construction of new projectds as a tangible sign of new momentum. Work continues on a long-anticipatef TPC San Antonio development, which is designed to host PGA tournamentds and is set to openin 2010.
The debut of that 36-hole golf destination is expected to strengthen theAlamo City'se positioning. And, according to Puhl, it's a "90 percent done that the dormant Texas Golf Hall of Fame will be reborj and relocated toSan Antonio. One reason the study was say industry stakeholders like is so state policymakers can become more aware of the impac golf is having on Texas in termas of jobsand revenues. "I'm not sure everyonwe understands the scope and the impact of this Addington says. "One of the purposes of this study was toprovides (policymakers) real, tangible data. The study puts into perspectivse how important theindustry is.
It givees us some important One ofthe problems, Addington insists, is that "some peopler look at golf as private, affluenf members who play a round and then hang out at the 19th "This study," he says, "showsw that it is a whole lot more than According to the study, nearly $759 million of the $3.4 billion direct impact from golf was hospitality/tourism-related That figure is based on an estimate 2.7 million golf person trips takeh to Texas per with an average expenditure of $280 per person per "It's a huge part of says Addington about the touriskm impact.
Former President and veteran San Antonio golf expert Jim Reed says the resultd of the study are not surprisingg to those who understandthe "I think this report finallyy confirms what we already knew," he says.