Golf Numbers for 2023

[The_Albatross]

Golf is definitely on the rise once again after a dip for many years. A lot of the interest is attributed to Covid with everything nearly shut down and the only thing to do outdoors was yard work or play golf.

In 2023, Golf’s overall reach was estimated at 123 million people with more than one-third of the U.S. population over the age of 5 played golf (on-course or off-course), followed golf on television or online, read about the game, or listened to a golf-related podcast in 2023. This is up 30% since 2016.

• 45 Million Americans, age 6 and up, played golf on & off the course

  • 26,6 Million played golf on courses (Of the 26.6 million 25% were female)
  • Another 18.4 participated in golf activities at places like driving ranges, indoor golf
    simulators, or golf entertainment venues like Topgolf.

• 3.4 Million played golf for the first time, which is a record for a year.

  • The Golf The industry has had 10 straight years with more than 2 million beginners,
    with the past four topping 3 million.
  • Prior to the pandemic boosted totals, the previous recorded high of
    2.4 million was set in 2000 during the Tiger Boom.

• Golf’s biggest contributors were 18-34 year olds with 6.3 million on course participants &
  5.8 million off course participants.

• 3.5 Million Juniors (18 & under) played golf on the course, a 40% increase since
  2019, which is the largest gain of any age group.

  • 37% were female compared to 15% in 2000
  • More than one quarter were non-Caucasian, where just 6% were over 20 years ago.

• 26% of on course golfers were made up of females (adults & juniors)

  • There were over 7 million females playing golf on the course & over 6 million the
    past 4 years
  • Since 2019, the net gain in female golfers is 1.4 million, a 25% increase.

• 42% of females (adult & juniors) made up off-course participants (Putt-Putts, Driving Ranges, Top Golf, Drive Shack, etc.)

• 22.4 Million people didn’t play golf in 2023 but indicate they are “very interested” in
  playing golf on a golf course.

  • The 45% increase in this pool of potential golfers since 2019 is attributable in part to
    the growth and popularity of off-course golf. Almost half of this untapped demand is
    comprised of “lapsed golfers” who played on a course previously, but not within the
    past year, while the rest are those who never played golf on a course before.

• There were a record 531 million rounds played in 2023, surpassing the previous high
  of 529 million set in 2021.