Golf is experiencing unprecedented growth with over 45 million participants in 2023. Here are key facts that dispel common misconceptions about the game:

Accessibility & Affordability:

• 73% of U.S. golf courses (nearly 16,000 total) are public
• Average 18-hole round costs $43
• 2,900 municipal courses are 22% less expensive than other public courses
• 70% of core golfers started at municipal courses

Environmental Impact:

• Golf courses use less than 1% of daily U.S. water withdrawal
• Water usage reduced by 20% between 2005-2020
• Courses occupy just 0.1% of total U.S. land area
• Provides critical wildlife habitat and environmental benefits

Growing Diversity:

• Participation up 50% since 2014
• Fastest growing groups:
  • Youth (up 40%)
  • People of color (up 27%)
  • Females (up 25%)
• 18-34 age group leads participation at 6.3 million players

Community Impact:

• $4.6 billion given annually to charitable causes
• 80% of courses host charity events
• 120,000+ local fundraising events annually
• Significant youth program growth through initiatives like Youth on Course

Future Growth:

• 22.4 million non-golfers "very interested" in playing
• Negative perceptions down 70 million people over past decade
• Total participants nearly double that of pickleball
• Strong youth engagement suggests continued growth

These statistics demonstrate golf's evolution into an accessible, sustainable, and diverse sport with significant positive community impact.

Related Articles

Previous Articles