The National Golf Foundation exists to foster the growth and vitality of the game and business of golf.
Trusted by the most successful companies as the leading authority on the game and business of golf.
Our unique Board of Directors is comprised of leaders from various sectors of the industry, a diversity that brings broad perspective to our work.
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David Abeles
President & CEO
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Joe Louis Barrow Jr.
Former CEO
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Joe Beditz, PhD
President & CEO
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Chip Brewer
President & CEO
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Bill Golden
President
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Bradley A. Hamilton
Group VP, Commercial & International
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Tim Schantz
President
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John K. Solheim
President
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Annika Sorenstam
President & CEO
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Dick Sullivan
President & CEO
Learn more about the trends impacting golf businesses.
As the industry’s leading independent and objective information resource, we provide our members with a comprehensive library of golf research and insights on the state of the game.
Reports & Publications
The NGF’s reports and publications are free to members, providing information and intel to make better-informed decisions. Browse our catalog, from annual reports on participation and golf course supply to more focused reports on key golfer segments and business categories.
Don’t see what you’re looking for? Just ask. We’ve learned a lot in our 80-year history and chances are we have insights that will help.
Log in to access reports and publications.
Golf Industry Facts
Golf by State
Explore golf’s geographic footprint through our interactive map to learn how many courses and golf-related businesses are in each state.
Looking for a specific course or business? Search our database.
The Q – The only publication for everyone interested in the business of golf
GolfMAP – Explained
NGF GolfMAP (Golf Market Analysis Platform) is one of the most robust data-driven analytical tools available to NGF members, delivering intensely detailed information about golf micro-economies across the United States.…
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Mike McCarley – President, GOLF, NBC Sports Group
Mike McCarley has headed up Golf Channel’s operations since 2011 and serves as the President, Golf, for the network’s parent company, NBC Sports Group. McCarley oversees all of NBC Sports’…
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NGF Research Snapshot: Professional Golf Instruction
NGF research finds that approximately 16 percent of golfers took some form of professional golf instruction last year, either individual or in groups, and in person or online. The…
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One Hole at a Time
In 2013, his first year as president of the PGA of America, Ted Bishop attempted to tackle one of the biggest obstacles affecting participation: the time it takes to play.…
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R&A’s Golf Around the World Report
Golf is global. There are golf courses in 209 of the world’s 249 countries as of year-end 2018, according to the latest “Golf Around the World” report published by the…
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The PGA Merchandise Show – in Pictures
The PGA Merchandise Show is the golf industry’s annual “Major of Golf Business,” a four-day event that attracts more than 40,000 industry professionals from around the world to discover the…
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December 2018 National Rounds Played
Rounds of golf for December 2018 were down 7.7% nationally compared to the previous December. For the full year, play was down 4.8% overall from 2017. December is typically…
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Inside an $11 Million Maui Makeover
In February, the Kapalua Resort’s iconic Plantation Course – the one that hosts the PGA TOUR’s winner’s-only event each January – will shut down for nine months to undergo a…
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From Tequila to Golf Balls
Ed Brown’s father introduced him to golf at the age of 5 or 6 and he immediately fell in love with the game. He even tried playing the game professionally,…
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NGF Research Snapshot: How Old Are Your Golf Clubs?
As a New Year begins, many equipment manufacturers start releasing their newest lines of golf clubs. The Q’s latest NGF research snapshot graphic finds that 32% of the 23.8…
Read MoreWe’re Not Only Golf’s Go-To Source for Data and Research
We Also Provide a Wide Variety of Specialized Services to Help Businesses Compete More Effectively
From e-mail and database marketing to custom research and course-operations consulting, businesses throughout the industry engage the NGF’s team of professional analysts and advisors for personalized solutions. Find out how we can help you.
Custom Research
The NGF custom research team designs and executes qualitative and quantitative research studies to answer specific client questions. How is my brand perceived vs. competition? What’s the appeal of a new product idea – and how can it be optimized? Who’s my best customer target?
Market & Account Analytics
With nearly 15,000 golf facilities in the US, no company has the staff or resources to chase every sales opportunity. And while it may be easy to identify the biggest green grass accounts and the iconic venues across the US, it becomes much more challenging to prioritize the next tiers – how to target and allocate limited business development resources.
Facility Consulting
NGF’s facility consulting division has been providing advisory services to golf course owners, prospective owners, lenders and a broad spectrum of other clients for over 30 years. The NGF Consulting practice covers all areas of golf facility businesses and we provide services to public and private golf facilities, driving ranges, alternative golf facilities and other “specialty” golf facilities.
Syndicated Services
Syndicated research may require cooperation among competitors, sharing sensitive company information with NGF which is aggregated and reported back – without compromising individual company data. NGF is a trusted partner with many of the leading brands in golf, enabling these syndicated solutions.
Email & Database Marketing
Expert direct marketing services to help companies acquire new customers, compete more effectively and generate more revenue.
The Most Reliable Source for Golf Industry Information
The NGF’s proprietary data and research is regularly cited by national news organizations in stories that highlight the health and vitality of the golf industry. See the latest buzz:
"Following the recent report that the golf industry drove $84.1 billion in economic activity in the United States in 2016, an increase of 22.1 percent since 2011, the National Golf Foundation offered more modestly encouraging numbers about the health of the game with Tuesday’s release of its annual Golf Industry Report..."
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"But the scope of the overall golf economy – a $70 billion business -- runs far deeper.
It’s why the National Golf Foundation has released its inaugural listcelebrating the top 100 businesses in golf, a platform that in some ways is the golf biz equivalent of the popular top 100 course rankings. The NGF GOLF 100 was created by the NGF to recognize the most successful, innovative and influential companies and organizations in the game, across a wide variety of categories..."
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"...According to a report from the National Golf Foundation, roughly 51% of Topgolf guests in 2017 were people who had never played traditional golf.
Of these non-golfers, 75% said they were interested in playing traditional golf after visiting a Topgolf location..."