National Golf Day 2024: Golf Industry Talking Points

By American Golf Industry Coalition

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The following information is produced by the American Golf Industry Coalition and includes the talking points that will be presented to legislators in Washington, D.C. on National Golf Day next week. (Statistics and figures are provided by National Golf Foundation unless otherwise noted.)

• Beginners: In 2023, a record 3.4 million people played on a golf course for the first time, marking the fourth consecutive year of 3+ million on-course beginners (after averaging 2.6M from 2016-2019).

• People of Color: In 2023, there were 6.1 million people of color on-course golfers, an increase 8% YOY. This segment has grown by 27% since 2019 (pre-Covid), and now represents 23% of all on-course participants, a new high in racial and ethnic representation. 

• Of note, ethnically diverse representation among off-course only golf participants was nearly 40%, almost double the segment’s on-course representation in 2022. This figure will be updated when final off-course only data is released later this year. 

• Females: In 2023, there were 7 million female on-course golfers, a 25% increase since 2019 (pre- Covid). Females now account for 26% of all on-course participants – a new high mark in representativeness.

• Of note, 25% of on-course golfers were women. Females represent a disproportionately higher percentage of juniors (34%) and off-course participants (47%) than they do in the overall golf population. This figure will be updated when final off-course only data is released later this year.

• Juniors: In 2023, 3.5 million 6- to 17-year-olds played on a golf course, the most since 2006. The junior cohort has experienced the largest percentage gains of all demographic segments in the pandemic era (+40%).

• This segment of the golf population continues to be more diverse than the overall on- course participation base:

• Girls represent 36% of today’s juniors (compared to almost 25% of all golfers),  a significant increase compared to 2000, when girls only accounted for 15% of junior participation in the sport.

• Ethnically diverse juniors made up 28% (compared to 21% of all golfers),a significant increase compared to 2000, when ethnically diverse juniors only accounted for 6% of junior participation in the sport.

• In 2021, juniors notably became the first participation segment to see the number of off-course only participants surpass those participating on-course (3.3 million off-course).

• NOTE: The above figures are based on 2022 participation information. They will be updated when the full 2023 figures are released later this year. 

• Off-Course: The number of off-course participants has increased to 32.9 million. 

• While there is overlap between off-course and on-course, off-course participation has eclipsed on-course in each of the past two years, and more than doubled since 2014 (14.3M)

• The total number of off-course only participants increased to 18.4 million in 2023, up from 15.5 million in 2022.

 ECONOMIC IMPACT STUDY (Released May 2023)

• Total economic impact of the industry has increased to $102 billion. 

• Despite there being 1,068 fewer golf facilities (7% decrease) in 2022 vs. 2016, total economic impact increased from $84.1b to $102b (21% increase).

• After the real estate/golf course development boom in the 1990s – the industry has been self- correcting, with more courses closing vs. opening. In 2023 that closure rate slowed (to 90 courses), the fewest closures in more than a decade and a 67% decline from the record high closure total of 280 courses in 2019. There are now more golfers per course than anytime in the previous 15 years with each course averaging 34,000 rounds per year.

• The green grass facility is the largest segment of the golf economy and contributes $37.1 billion (36%) to the overall economic impact of the industry. This is a 7.8% increase from 2016 despite there being a 7% decrease in golf facilities. 

• An estimated 62% of golf facilities invested an average of $419,500 per facility on capital improvements from 2016-2022. These projects include course renovations, irrigation projects, building renovations, golf car fleet and maintenance equipment purchases. 

• In 2022 alone, golf courses invested $3.65 billion in capital improvement projects.

• Golf related tourism is the second largest segment of the golf economy contributing $31 billion (30%) to the overall economic impact of the industry. 

• In 2022, Americans took over 26 million trips of 50+ miles that included at least one round of golf and spent an average of $1,184 per trip. The top destination states include Florida, California, Texas and New York.

• There are nearly 16,000 courses at 14,000 facilities in the U.S., making up 42% of the global golf course supply. 

• The average green fee charged at a public facility for an 18-hole round in the U.S. in 2023 was $43.

• 74% of golf facilities are open to the public (daily fee or municipal).

• Approximately 8 of 10 golfers play on public courses.

• Golf is an $102 billion industry that impacts nearly two million U.S. jobs with nearly $60 billion in annual wage income. Approximately one out of every 75 jobs in the U.S. are impacted by the golf industry – two million of 150 million. (Source: World Golf Foundation, 2022 U.S. Golf Economy Report).

• Equipment sales in 2023 were led by a 5% year-over-year increase in the golf ball market. Golf club sales nearly matched 2022 but declined slightly by 2% but remain 16% ahead of sales in 2019. 

 CHARITABLE IMPACT

• The golf industry contributed more than $4.6 billion to charity in 2022. Up from $3.9 billion in 2016.

• The charitable sector of the golf economy is driven by the more than 141,000 separate charity events that are held at local golf facilities. 

• 80% of golf facilities in the U.S. held a charitable golf tournament event in 2022 with 

• Professional golf tournaments generated nearly $400 million for charity in 2022.

• Of note, golf’s charitable impact comprises nearly 1% of the $484.5 billion in nationwide charitable contributions in 2022.

 MAKE GOLF YOUR THING

• The breakthrough industry movement called Make Golf Your Thing began in 2020 when the golf industry came together to collectively address two critical opportunities: how to build on the momentum that golf had experienced since the pandemic began, and how to bring greater diversity, equity and inclusion to all aspects of golf.

• Led by PGA of America, PGA TOUR, LPGA and USGA and with financial support and participation from some of the leading companies and organizations in golf, Make Golf Your Thing is uniting allies across golf in support of a more inclusive game and industry, proactively welcoming people from historically underrepresented backgrounds in the sport to make golf their game, their career, and their business.

• Make Golf Your Thing supports three key focus areas:

• Make Golf Your Game: works to enhance the game for players of all backgrounds, identities, and abilities by encouraging players to make golf their own.

• Make Golf Your Career: responsible for attracting diverse talent and creating inclusive workplaces.

• Make Golf Your Business: aims to further diversify the vendors and suppliers equipping the $102 billion golf industry.

• Make Golf Your Game: A grassroots grants program – made possible by the companies supporting Make Golf Your Thing – is advancing nonprofit organizations and groups dedicated to increasing participation among those who are underrepresented in the sport, including minorities, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and those with disabilities. The industry has awarded $2.5M to 318 programs since 2021. Collectively, these organizations have reached more than 55,000 adults and children through four phases of funding. Phase V grants will be announced in May 2024.

• Approximately 88% of adults and youth reached through these programs are ethnically diverse, while 51% are female, and 80%are under the age of 18. Fifteen organizations have received the maximum grant possible, reporting an average of 21% growth in participants since 2021.

• To better service newcomers to the game, Make Golf Your Thing built a searchable directory on its website – www.makegolfyourthing.org – that allows visitors to find the best possible golf program that suits them and their specific needs. There are over 17,800 searchable events/programs with the directory averaging over 1,000 searches each month. 

• Make Golf Your Career: In 2023, golf’s first-ever industry-wide career platform that allows employers to connect with diverse talent in a singular destination launched at MakeGolfYourCareer.org.  

• The career portal has more than 13,000 jobs posted to the site and has seen more than 310,000 job views to date. 

• HBCU Initiative: Through its collaboration with the White House initiative on HBCUs, the industry is partnering with HBCUs to build inroads and relationships for those students in the golf industry. 

• Make Golf Your Career has held events at Alabama State University (Fall 2023), Bethune-Cookman in Daytona, Fla. (March 2024), Texas Southern University in Houston (March 2024), Paul Quinn College in Dallas (April 2024). Additional are planned for Fall semester 2024.

• Additionally, five golf simulators were donated by Make Golf Your Thing and installed at Alabama State University, Florida A&M University, Texas Southern University, University of Maryland-Eastern Shore, and Virginia State University.

• Make Golf Your Business: A diversity-focused resource center is available for the industry to source goods and services from businesses owned by people of color, women, LGBTQ+ individuals, veterans, and those with disabilities. To-date, more than 3,100 registered diverse-owned vendors are available through the Make Golf Your Business supplier portal.
  
  

 ENVIRONMENT & SUSTAINABILITY

• Golf courses – 75 percent of which are public – are community assets that provide green spaces for recreational use and many other benefits such as stormwater mitigation and habitats for key pollinators and other wildlife. Courses contribute to healthy ecosystems and cooling islands (particularly in urban areas), like public parks.

• The Golf Course Superintendents Association of America (GCSAA) Golf Course Environmental Profile study revealed that golf reduced its water usage by 29 percent since 2005, with a decrease in average water use across every region of the U.S. In addition, applied nutrient usage has decreased by more than 40% since 2006. The national median of fertilized acres per facility decreased by 14%.

• Golf courses adopt innovative, research-based management strategies that have an estimated $2 billion annual benefit to the industry - largely the result of the USGA’s 100+year investment to advance turfgrass research, innovation, education and expertise to reduce water, nutrients, energy and labor.

• GCSAA has implemented Best Management Practice guidelines for all 50 states that outline golf course maintenance practices that protect and enhance the environment and are tailored to the state’s unique geographic conditions and regulatory climate. 

• States collaborated with university faculty and officials from state agencies, along with others in the golf industry to develop Best Management Practice manuals.

• The next phase of the initiative is focused on the development and implementation of individual facility best management practices. These efforts will proactively demonstrate to golfers, legislators, regulators and community members the operations associated with the maintenance of a local green space, while highlighting the many benefits golf course facilities provide.

• In the next 15 years, the USGA has committed $30 million to deepen industry collaboration to

significantly reduce golf’s use of water, mainly through turf reduction/management, investing in more efficient irrigation programs, improved grassing/drought-resistant turfgrass use and applying reclaimed water, among other actions. Golfer perception plays a significant role in producing lasting change.

• On average, between $800 million and $900 million is being invested annually at golf facilities to upgrade/improve their golf course(s).

HEALTH BENEFITS

• Playing golf regularly (at least once a month) improves health and lowers risk of death among older adults. (Source: Effect of Playing Golf on Cardiovascular Diseases; ScienceDaily.com).

• Golf can provide overall health benefits, including increased longevity and improving known risk factors for cardiovascular disease. Playing golf additionally provides mental well-being benefits and has been found to reduce anxiety and depression (Source: 2018 International Consensus Statement on Golf and Health).

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