3-Minute Business Insights
Amid increases in U.S. golfers and rounds-played over the past six years, the number of people participating in leagues – whether run internally by golf facilities or externally by national organizations – has jumped dramatically. This engagement is outpacing broader on-course participation changes in the post-pandemic era.
The Changing Face of Golf League Participation
Compared to pre-2020 (prior to the pandemic), golf league participants are notably younger and more diverse -- increasingly reflective of the broader population the industry has long sought to engage. This member sidebar delves into the demographic shifts of recreational golf league participation.
Summary of Golf Playing Fees – 2026
Assessing Golf’s Pricing Power – and Playing Fees
A deeper member look at golf's public pricing, including at the state level, the difference between municipal, daily fee and resort green fees, and the game's cost changes over the past six years.
The Truth About Golf’s Rising Green Fees
Following a decade of limited pricing power, peak green fees at public golf facilities in the U.S. have increased during the 'post-pandemic era." How closely do these increases mirror that of changes in inflation over that same period from 2019 to 2025?
2026 Graffis Report
Topics: Associations, Business Management, Course Operations, Design & Construction, Equipment & Gear, Events & Tourism, Facility Management, Facility Services, Green-Grass Facility, Instruction, Media & Marketing, Off-course Facility, Real Estate & Investment, Retail, Specialized Services, Technology & Innovation
National play sees second straight YOY monthly gain to start 2026
Golf is big business -- with a direct U.S. economic impact of almost $102 billion annually. NGF produced the most recent, and often-quoted U.S. Golf Economic Impact Study, and also conduct standard reports on golf's impact at the state level. These numbers are a part of many of our latest one-page state summaries that detail key supply and demand data at a more localized level -- now available to members.
