Getty Photographs
Although it’s the game of pop stars, actors and celebrities, of Justin Timberlake, Kathryn Newton, Mark Wahlberg, Patrick Mahomes and hell, even Caitlin Clark, golf remains to be in a battle in opposition to its longtime repute — particularly, that it’s a sport for previous codgers.
However I’ve obtained excellent news, golf folks. I’m right here to arm you with a contemporary piece of ammunition to assist in that combat.
(Additionally, for the older golfers who could also be studying this: I believe you’re nice! Most of you aren’t “codgers,” you taught my era the sport, you’re nonetheless its spine, you’re a core shopper, it’s best to proceed to play as typically as you possibly can and, by doing so, you’re in truth reaping some epic well being advantages that your non-golfing counterparts usually are not. Preserve swinging.)
Let’s begin right here: Golfers are, as soon as once more, enjoying the sport at a file tempo.
Torrid tee-time developments have continued for the fifth consecutive 12 months; the post-Covid golf increase has introduced new gamers to the sport and people already enjoying are doing so extra typically. In response to the Nationwide Golf Basis, which retains monitor of all kinds of fascinating business details and figures, 2024 is on monitor to be the fifth consecutive 12 months that greater than 500 million rounds shall be performed throughout the USA’ 15,000-plus golf programs.
Final 12 months, 2023, set a file for probably the most play of all time. And this 12 months? Golfers are enjoying even extra. Via August, year-to-date play was up 1.4 % over 2023’s record-setting tempo. Whereas it’s sensible to not get too caught up within the particular proportion factors — stuff like precipitation or heat climate can skew these numbers from 12 months to 12 months — the general image is evident: Extra golfers are enjoying extra golf.
So who’re these golfers? Listed below are just a few issues the NGF says about them:
-In 2023, 26.6 million folks performed golf on a course (18.4 million extra performed “off-course” at a simulator, Topgolf or comparable location)
-From 2020 by means of 2023, the variety of on-course golfers within the U.S. rose by almost 2.3 million folks
-Since 2019, the typical age of a golfer has dropped remarkably, from 44.6 to 43.5 years previous
-Up to now 10 years, golf participation amongst these 65 and older has elevated by 64 %
I believe I converse for many golfers once I say that it’s nice extra persons are enjoying golf (so long as you possibly can nonetheless get a tee time). It’s nice that youthful persons are enjoying extra golf. And it’s nice that older persons are enjoying extra golf, too. However regardless of that closing bullet-point revelation — that older golfers are enjoying extra golf — the NGF’s breakdown by age left me doing a double-take. As of the beginning of 2024, there are extra golfers within the 18-34 year-old demographic than another age bracket. Test it out within the chart under: There are 3.5 million junior golfers (6-17 years previous), 6.3 million golfers between 18 and 34, 5.3 million between 35 and 49, 6.1 million between 50 and 64 and 5.4 million golfers over the age of 65.
I promised that one stat jumps out, so there it’s: There are extra golfers between 18 and 34 than there are over the age of 65.
In the event you ask the typical individual to explain the typical golfer, I guess they’re extra prone to describe somebody 65-plus than sub-35. However it seems it’s rarer to be in Jack Nicklaus’ age bracket than Scottie Scheffler’s. Rarer to be Bernhard Langer’s peer than Nelly Korda’s. Golfers are youthful than I might have thought. Heck, as soon as Tiger Woods turns 50 in 14 months, he’ll be older than 57 % of his fellow golfers.
Earlier than we get too carried away, although, there’s necessary context that comes with this knowledge: The NGF isn’t speaking about complete rounds performed. These golfers who’re 50-plus and 65-plus are prone to play extra regularly (and spend extra freely) than their youthful golf counterparts, so in case your course isn’t flooded all day, on daily basis by 20-somethings, don’t be shocked. However presumably when right now’s younger golfers become old they, too, will unlock time for extra rounds. After which we’ll hope these behind them take up the sport, too.
No matter age bracket you fall in, right here’s hoping you rep it this weekend at a course close to you.
You’ll find extra enjoyable NGF details and figures right here.