The Indicator: Rounds of golf increased 21.4% in January from the year before.
What It Really Means: While the mild winter clearly had an effect on the dramatic increase in rounds played, the spike shows Americans more willing to spend discretionary income on a very expensive game. According to the National Golf Foundation, in January 2010, rounds were down 18.1%. But this January, rounds increased across both less expensive public courses and pricier private links, suggesting it’s not just the rich who feel they have a little extra money these days.