How Golf Has Grown
We started D’Lance Golf during the “Tiger Boom” when there were roughly 26 million golfers in the United States, according to the National Golf Foundation. Through a number of economic cycles and real estate booms and busts, golf participation started dropping and was hovering a little over 20 million for several years.
Well, things have changed dramatically. It actually started before the pandemic around 2018. Top Golf and other simulator venues, i.e. “screen golf” fanned the popularity of golf. Junior golf and participation of female golfers has climbed as well. We are now around 29 million golfers versus 26 million in 1998. But, the biggest change in my view is that, if you count golfers that do not actually play on a course but just practice or hit indoors, the participation is up to 39 million! Whoa! And, again according to NGF, the number of people that are interested in golf or are engaged in watching or working in the industry is up to 134 million!
Golf as Entertainment
Let’s face it. Golf is not an easy sport. So, companies are trying to lighten up the venues and add interesting formats to capture a wider audience. LIV Golf. TGL. And some new Par 3 formats. And, unfortunately, 6 million golfers took up the game in 2004 but only a million stayed with it. So, everything is on the table to help golfers learn the game and make it easier to play and participate. I see this trend continuing to grow.
Is Golf Too Popular?
The fall-out of golf’s current popularity are numerous:
- It is hard to get tee times at convenient times
- Pace of Play is agonizingly slow
- Green fees are getting a bit pricey
- New golfers need more training on rules and etiquette
- Memberships are more expensive
While I will never say golf is TOO popular, this my business and way of life, I hope we can address the above issues or we run the risk of alienating some of the new golfers. Heck, even some of us old timers!
Dan Sueltz
Loading ...
