As the discussion about Arizona’s dwindling water supply intensifies, a study was released this week by the Arizona Golf Association which suggests that Arizona’s economy without golf could dry up faster than Lake Mead.
According to the study, Arizona’s golf industry produced an estimated $6 billion in economic activity while using only 2% of daily statewide water to serve 16.6 million golf rounds in 2021.
The Association claims that the golf industry’s economic output supported nearly 66,200 jobs, provided $2.3 billion in wages and generated $518 million in state and local tax revenues.
“The positive impact to our community provided by the golf industry is good for everyone, even for those who don’t play,” said Joe Foley, Arizona Golf Association Executive Director and Arizona Alliance for Golf (AAG) executive committee member. “It’s one of the most impactful ways we give back, with many community-support organizations hosting their own golf fundraisers every year, as well as direct support from events like the WM Phoenix Open. And using 2% of the state’s water in the process plainly shows that the golf industry efficiently manages the vital resources we all depend on.”
Conducted by Rounds Consulting Group in partnership with AAG, “The Economic Contribution of Arizona’s Golf Industry,” gathered and quantified the economic and environmental impacts directly and indirectly attributed to Arizona’s golf industry in 2021.
“Tourism is big business in Arizona. The quality and variety of golf courses here play a major role in helping the state attract millions of travelers each year,” Ron Price, President and CEO of Visit Phoenix said. “In 2021, the City of Phoenix welcomed more than 16 million who spent more than $3.2 billion. This impacts a broad range of businesses, both small and large, throughout greater Phoenix and the state.”