- Switching to permanent standard time could cost golf courses $500,000 annually
- 40% of revenue at some courses comes from late-afternoon leagues
- 20 states have passed measures supporting year-round daylight saving since 2018
- Daylight saving time origins tied to British golfer William Willett in 1905
- Nebraska courses face 100 lost tee times daily under standard time
As daylight saving time approaches, golf course operators across America are mobilizing to protect the clock-change tradition they credit with safeguarding millions in evening play revenue. Industry leaders warn that permanent standard time legislation could erase decades of established golf economics, particularly for public courses relying on post-work participation.
At Stone Creek Golf Course in Omaha, General Manager Connor Farrell reports standard time would eliminate 100 daily tee times during peak seasons. Our $500,000 revenue hit isn't hypothetical - it's based on 15 years of weather-adjusted booking data,Farrell explains. This Midwestern case study reveals broader patterns: 78% of Nebraska's golf instructors conduct half their lessons after 4 PM, while twilight green fees account for 38% of annual revenue at municipal courses.
The golf industry's relationship with daylight saving time traces back to its 1905 inception by British golfer William Willett. Modern lobbying efforts scored a major win in 1986 when Congress extended DST by four weeks through pressure from golf and barbecue industries. Today's battlefronts include 14 states considering permanent standard time bills, with Utah and Indiana emerging as key battlegrounds.
Unique industry insights reveal three underreported impacts: First, evening play drives 22% of equipment sales at pro shops as casual players impulse-buy gear. Second, twilight rounds generate 63% more food-and-beverage revenue than morning play. Third, southern courses use DST to offset summer heat, with Arizona's winter daylight hours becoming a national case study in optimized tee time distribution.
Despite sleep science arguments against biannual time changes, National Golf Course Owners Association CEO Jay Karen notes 94% of members prefer keeping current DST rules. The status quo allows Florida retirees morning play and Colorado resorts dusk tourism,Karen observes. With 43% of U.S. courses located in DST-vulnerable northern latitudes, this daylight debate remains far from settled.