The annual tally of golf course closures in the U.S. dropped again last year. Which raises the question: Has supply and demand finally returned to a reasonably balanced state?

As participation levels have increased in recent years, this particular segment has seen a 36% increase in on-course golfers since the start of the pandemic.

Rounds of golf played nationally in 2022 didn’t measure up to the record-setting totals of 2021. Weather played a role in the downturn, especially in the shoulder months of this past year.

Traditional, on-course golf participation in the U.S. was up again in 2022, and off-course gains were even more significant.

A number of years back, we introduced the NGF Top 100 Businesses in Golf to recognize the most influential, successful, prominent and innovative companies on the commercial side of golf. Now we’ve released the latest version of this unique list.

Questions lingered throughout the year when it came to rounds: Would demand dip? Would golf’s Covid dividends begin to wane? As 2022 winds down, here’s how national play is stacking up.