There are a lot more individuals and entities in the golf industry than you might think — a fact my inbox will attest to. While I only get a fraction of the emails others in the business receive, I hear enough from all corners to know that many people consider the golf industry far more than just an avocation.
One entity whose correspondence I always review closely is the National Golf Foundation (NGF), which consistently keeps its proverbial finger on the pulse of the game of golf. In my daily interactions, I often reference their data and mix in my interpretations of what it means for the past, present, and future of golf participation. This post is a primary example of that.
Golf Industry Growth After 2020
The data and insight NGF provides are always easily digestible. They often use the year 2020 as a before-and-after analytical marker — a wise choice given golf’s natural alignment with social distancing. Before COVID (BC), golf had been in a roughly 20-year decline, with the game seen as ‘stodgy’ and ‘elitist’ in certain corners. Courses were closing in many markets, and the industry showed a general reluctance to evolve. Golf, by nature, is defined by stringent rules, after all.
Then came the pandemic, and the tides — as you may have ascertained — have turned.
Coming off what NGF refers to as a “20-year supply correction,” during which America saw a decline of roughly 3,000 golf courses (2,000 facilities), the U.S. has now recorded a record number of golfers in five of the past six years. Each of those years topped 500 million rounds played nationwide.
For context, the U.S. remains the world’s best-supplied golf market. Our nearly 14,000 facilities and 16,000 courses make up approximately 42% of all golf courses on the planet.
Tiger Era vs. The Modern Golf Boom
For those who have been around long enough, this surge represents the second major golf boom this century. The first followed the Tiger Woods era, when golf’s reach suggested a lasting renaissance. Clearly, that early-2000s momentum didn’t fully hold — but there is meaningful reason for optimism this time around.
Looking more closely at the different eras helps frame today’s golf participation trends:
Tiger Era (2000–2005):
Rounds increased about 12% compared to the prior six-year average, and the number of golf facilities expanded 6%.
Modern Era (2020–2025):
Rounds jumped 16% versus the previous six-year average — even as the facility count declined by about 3%.
Diversity and Junior Golf Participation Are Rising
NGF also notes that diversity in the game is at unprecedented levels. Participation among women (8.1 million) and people of color (7.7 million) has never been higher. Meanwhile, the number of junior golfers (ages 6–17) has increased nearly 60% since 2019 — perhaps the most telling indicator of the game’s long-term health.
The Rise of Off-Course and Screen Golf
One of the most sustainable differences between this golf boom and the last may be the emergence of off-course golf experiences. Today, approximately 38 million people engage with golf away from traditional courses through entertainment venues, screen golf, and practice ranges. Compare that to fewer than 6 million range users 25 years ago.
This expanded ecosystem will likely remain a major driver of the game’s continued growth.
If you look at golf’s total reach — those who play, watch, read about, or follow the game — the number now exceeds 136 million Americans, or roughly two out of every five people. That figure is astoundingly high — and promising — if you ask me.
Why New Golf Courses in North County Are Unlikely
This is where golf’s supply-and-demand dynamic becomes especially unique. With all these positive indicators — even here in San Diego County’s near-perfect golf weather — what is the likelihood of a new golf facility being built in North County?
Not in any of our lifetimes, in my view.
The reasons are many — available land and viable access to water chief among them — and the reality is unlikely to change. For the foreseeable future, the courses we have are the courses we will rely on. That places the responsibility squarely on existing facilities to nurture and sustain this growing love for the game.
The Arrowood Approach to the Modern Golf Experience
At Arrowood, we are proudly among the many facilities working to enhance the modern golf experience in San Diego. We continue taking a comprehensive approach that addresses both on- and off-course aspects of a day at the golf course.
From our ongoing pursuit of improved playing conditions to expanded food, beverage, and entertainment offerings, I can tell you from the inside that our pursuit of a better product is one without end.
Golf looks different today — from the purpose to the very people themselves — but for those who play, it remains a great unifier. A maddening, frustrating, beautiful unifier.
To all those who play, and to those who have a say, let’s not let that slip through our fingers again.
GB
