3-Minute Business Insights
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.
Golfers aren’t just playing more, they’re also spending more time at golf facilities in general. As golf courses continue to position themselves as destinations beyond on-course golf – from practice and retail offerings to additional amenities and broader food & beverage offerings – the average length of stay has increased significantly compared to the pre-Covid era.
Buoyed in part by play at private clubs, rounds jumped in July and put 2025 almost on the same pace as last year's record-setting trajectory. It bears noting that July is traditionally the highest-volume month of the year when it comes to rounds-played.
Greg Nathan, CEO of the National Golf Foundation, joins the Barstool Sports guys to break down the unprecedented growth of golf -- from skyrocketing participation and new player demographics to the evolution of how the game is played and experienced.
Greg Nathan sits down with host Dan Edwards on episode 264 of the Off Course podcast from The Hackers Paradise to discuss the NGF’s mission and golf's evolution over the last 20 years.
Topic: Media & Marketing
After having been a competitive tennis player as a junior, NGF's Greg Nathan decided in his early 20’s that he wanted to have a career in golf. In this 2025 episode of the Larry The Golf Guy podcast, Greg talks about the remarkable journey he pursued to reach this goal, starting at the SI Golf Group and ultimately rising to become President & CEO of the NGF.
Topic: Media & Marketing
The past three years have seen record or near-record numbers of U.S. golfers traveling to play the game. What does that mean for the industry at large when it comes to the "travel window" effect?
Topic: Associations
While April’s rounds this year are obviously up dramatically due to last year's course shutdowns, here's how they compare to the pre-pandemic numbers.
