First month of peak season sees a notable jump in rounds nationally, with no year-over-year declines across the eight geographic regions.

Approximately 70% of Core golfers had some of their earliest golf experiences at municipally owned or operated facilities, underscoring these courses' critical role as a primary pipeline for developing engaged participants. And as the number of municipal facilities has climbed to record levels, the customer base at many munis looks very much like a diverse cross-section of local residents of all ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds.

With the announcement of new course projects in Michigan and Virginia, there are now projects in varying stages of development in 35 states. These projects, and over 150 others, are tracked in NGF's industry-leading Construction Report.

Since 2019, total golf participation among People of Color, including both on course and off, has jumped from 8.5 million to 16.1 million -- an increase of nearly 90%.

Women and girls have been major contributors to the recent participation surges within the recreational game, as the number of U.S. golfers continues to climb toward record territory.

April play was up year-over-year, helping keep 2026 ahead of last year's record-setting pace for rounds heading into the peak months of the golf season.

Compared to pre-2020 (prior to the pandemic), golf league participants are notably younger and more diverse -- increasingly reflective of the broader population the industry has long sought to engage. This member sidebar delves into the demographic shifts of recreational golf league participation.