After general stability over the peak season months, September saw more fluctuation when it comes to year-over-year play. How did this impact the pursuit of another potential record-setting year for rounds in 2024?

Examining Golf’s Age Differences, On Course and Off

Part of golf's allure is that it can be enjoyed by players of all ages.

While perceived by some as a game comprised mostly of an older participant base, the numbers tell a different story — at least from a golfer standpoint. That said, it's understandable why the former can be construed, especially when driving by many golf courses on a weekday morning; as it's older participants who generally have the time and opportunity to play more frequently.

The reality is that golfers age 50 and over account for about 43% of the on-course participant base of 26.6 million, as highlighted in this …

August rounds were up in six of eight geographic regions, with all of those experiencing less precipitation than a year ago. Two regions on the East coast saw fewer rounds thanks to wetter weather than a year ago, but play at U.S. golf facilities overall remained steady through the end of the peak summer months. 

Golf’s Growing Instructional Landscape

Comfort and confidence are two of the biggest determining factors when it comes to golfer retention, and both are among the byproducts of an improving golfer.

This quest for improvement prompted approximately 5.2 million golfers to engage with professional golf instruction in the last year, a figure that encompasses almost 20% of the overall green-grass participation base (26.6 million) in the U.S.

These golfers took nearly 27 million lessons, a total that’s up about 28% compared to recent pre-pandemic years.

These gains are in part because of nationwide increases in popularity and play, but also because golf instruction continues to evolve like the …

Assessing Golf’s Real Estate Market in the U.S.

The U.S. has more golf facilities with a real estate component – either residential golf communities or resort real estate properties – than the total course count in any other country in the world.

The nearly 3,200 golf communities in the U.S. include more than 1.5 million single family homes and 800,000 condominiums or townhomes, according to NGF research for the most recent national report on the economic impact of golf. These range from master-planned communities that have golf as the centerpiece to active lifestyle or resort-style communities with a wide variety of amenities and activities – golf among them.

Whether primary homes or …

The Surge’s Impact on the Private Side of Golf

Private golf makes up just over one-quarter of overall U.S. supply — whether it be courses or facilities.

But when it comes to what's currently in development, a higher percentage of courses under construction, in-planning or on the drawing board are private clubs, many of the high-end variety. Driven in part by post-Covid increases in participation and play (along with the rise of destination golf and experiential golf getaways), new course development in the U.S. is at its highest level since 2014.

Despite the slight uptick in development, annual course closures still outnumber openings.

This supply correction will …