By Octavio Jacobo^*

Gen-Ñ, the Next U.S. Baby-Boom Golf Phenomenon and the Golf’s Generational Risk.

The Report on Golf’s Generational Risk was presented on the July 2011 edition of the NGF’s Dashboard. In marketing and demographic circles the main topic of discussion is this Generation of Hispanic youngsters, referred as Generation “Ñ” In the immediate future Hispanic market segment will be in its majority, native born; bringing a complex and evolving set of challenges and opportunities. Any analysis and strategy, particularly mid and long-term, to tackle Golf’s Generational Risk, and to address the much needed development of a new golf-players base is incomplete without including and specifically analyzing and understanding the Gen-Ñ.

The Report on Golf’s Generational Risk was presented on the July 2011 edition of the NGF’s Dashboard, referring to the generational dynamics of golf participation in the last 25 years and projections of the future for the main contemporary demographic age groups in the country: The Baby Boomers, the Generation X and Generation Y. Not by coincidence my article “Golf’s Hispanic Boom, Are you Ready?” was highlighted on the same dashboard.

A couple of very interesting articles refer to the realities of the Latino USA population: “The Mexican-American Boom: Births Overtake Immigration” by the PEW Research Center [_http://pewresearch.org/pubs/2058/-immigration-mexican-immigrants-mexican-american-birth-rate_] and "*Hispanics Don’t Live in a Country Called Hispania” by Jackie Hernandez*, Telemundo Communication’s COO. [http://www.fastcompany.com/magazine/157/jackie-hernandez-telemundo-mun2]

As the golf industry continues addressing the shrinking of the golf players based and the imminent Generational Risk, the results of the 2010 U. S. Census, once again, and now louder than ever; are bringing national focus to the drastic changes in the country’s Demographics.

As of 2010, of the under-18 74.2 million U.S., 23.1% were Hispanics. Of the 2000 to 2010 under-18 Population Growth Rates, the Hispanic segment grew 38.8% vs. just 2.6% of the non-Hispanic. The country is growing and staying young driven mainly by the explosive growth of the Hispanic population.

In marketing and demographic circles the main topic of discussion is this Generation of Hispanic youngsters, referred as Generation “Ñ” (for the letter used in Spanish that is absent of the English alphabet). This Gen-Ñ is the new Baby-Boom Demographic phenomenon with similar opportunities to the baby-boom of the 40’s, 50’s and 60’s.

I find the reality of the U.S. Hispanic population extremely interesting; as the PEW’s article indicates: “Births have surpassed immigration as the main driver of the dynamic growth in the U.S. Hispanic population”.

Quoting Miss Hernandez “Hispanics don’t live in a country called Hispania”. Latinos, or Hispanics, are no longer foreigners. According the U.S. Census Bureau, from 2000 to 2009 70.2% of the Hispanic population growth was native born. Out of 50.5 millions, 62.6% of the current Latino population -43% of those over 18 years-old and 91.8% of those under 18- are U.S. born. 64.2% of the 2000-2010 explosive growth of the Hispanic population was due to Natural Increase, not immigration.

The U.S. reality is that Latinos are now core U.S. citizens; a very significant in size and purchasing power, fast-growing, and strengthening demographic segment. This is a long term trend that will continue shaking the U.S. population for decades to come.

Latinos -16.3% of the U.S. population, projected to reach 30.2% by 2050 (U.S. Census Bureau)- are, or could currently be a segment of your business. Unquestionably this segment must be core part of your clientele base in years and decades to come -that is, if you will be doing business in the U.S.-

As of now, of this segment, more of the 50% of the customer base (those over 18th) are foreign born; however this is quickly changing and in the immediate future Hispanic market segment will be in its majority, native born; bringing a complex and evolving set of challenges and opportunities.

Native born Hispanics are naturally more exposed and can de more easily introduced golf than immigrants. At the same time, they combine the challenges of the general population with the addition to extra and complex factors due to the culture and background.

Any analysis and strategy, particularly mid and long-term, to tackle Golf’s Generational Risk, but most importantly, the Latino-Boom opportunities, and to address the much needed development of a new golf-players base is incomplete without including and specifically analyzing and understanding the Gen-Ñ.

Hispanic Cultural Competency and Strategic Readiness are now essential to any strategic planning. Have you integrated this and make it core to your business?

---

Credits

Originally posted by OctavioJacobo on 25 Jul 2011.
All contributors: OctavioJacobo,

Rate This Article

View top-rated articles!

You need to Login or register to rate articles.

Accuracy

12345 My vote: 0, Total votes: 0, Avg. vote: 0

Usefulness

12345 My vote: 0, Total votes: 0, Avg. vote: 0

This discussion page has not yet been started.

You have reached a discussion page that is currently empty. GolfBizWiki discussion pages are where people talk about how to improve a specific page. Typical topics include:

• Does this page follow the GolfBizWiki Writers And Editors Guide?
• Is the content on this page appropriate for wikiHow?
• Is this article helpful or useful?
• Is this article accurate?

A discussion page is an ideal place for two or more people with conflicting views to civilly reach consensus about how a page should be edited. By having these discussions off the topic page, GolfBizWiki community members can converse and agree on how to best improve the page.

Please Login or register to post comments.