The Future of Golf: Adapting to Millennial Trends and Digital Age | National Golf Foundation | Page 3

1. INTRODUCTION

Golf emerged as a major spectator sport in the 1920s. It’s had a marked impact on the national economy since then, becoming one of the most popular recreational activities in the world.

According to The National Golf Foundation (NGF), golf’s consumer base has remained steady over the years. Around 23.8 million people worldwide played golf on a course in 2017 (more or less the same as in 2016). Off-course players numbered around 8.3 million, amounting to more than 32 million total participants.

The digital age, however, is heralding a new and improved world of golf. Club owners can’t afford to dwell on the past. Instead, they’ll need to look to the future to earn more memberships and keep pace with emerging trends pervading the industry, including...

Millennial marketing

Are millenials killing the golf industry? No. The unfortunate truth is that many country club owners are still entrenched in the past, unwilling to change and meet the needs of tech-savvy golfers who rely on social media and their smartphones every day.

According to the NGF, nearly 6.4 million millennials play golf in the United States today.