As the traditional game continues to modernize and evolve, mobile apps are an increasingly important part of the golf experience, on and off the course. More than three quarters of Core golfers say they use golf-specific apps, with the most notable recent increases in usage coming in several main areas.

Private club golfers account for less than 8% of golf's green-grass participation base, but this group plays and spends more on the game and is a popular target market audience for businesses inside and outside the golf industry.

How can the imagery used in golf media and marketing create meaningful barriers to both initial and deepening engagement? And might the consequences of our historically-narrow view influence experience design itself?

As the golf industry enjoys unprecedented success, NGF research suggests most Core golfers feel like "just another customer," with transaction-based relationships emphasized over loyalty. As customer expectations evolve, relationship-building will likely emerge as the most undervalued innovation frontier in business and, perhaps, a new battleground in golf.