Contextualizing 2024’s Course Closures

Midway through 2024, approximately one-third of this year’s global golf course closures have been in the U.S., the world’s best-supplied golf market. A total of 37.5 18-hole equivalent closures were recorded by NGF’s database team through the end of June, with a relatively even split of 18-hole and 9-hole shutdowns. The pace is consistent with recent industry trajectory, which has seen a declining number of golf course closures throughout the “pandemic era” after there were a record-high 279.5 in 2019. Last year, there were approximately 90 18-HEQ closures, the fewest in the U.S. since 2004 (prior to the Great Recession). It’...