Exclusive NGF Articles and Reports
Midyear Update: Golf Supply and Development
The U.S. golf market continued its march toward equilibrium at the midway point of 2025, with supply and development patterns reinforcing trends that emerged in 2024 and previous years.
Topic: Facility Management
NGF's 2025 Golf Facilities in the U.S. Report - Now Available
Key year-end data on the world's best-supplied golf market
This comprehensive annual member report provides an in-depth overview of golf facility supply in the U.S. -- from historical trends in the number of golf facilities to detailed information on total supply by state and region, Top 10 lists by state supply, a facility health update, a breakdown of supply by facility type, golf courses in-planning and under construction, the latest on openings and closures, and much more.
Golf’s Course Correction Is Over
U.S. golf course development and investment in existing faciltiies are up, including an increased number of renovations, reconstructions, and resurrections. Meanwhile, the number of annual course closures has decreased for five straight years, with the 2024 total dipping to its lowest levels in two decades. The result is a supply stability that has legs.
Golf’s State-of-Industry In 3 Minutes
NGF's annual state-of-industry report is out and available for members, providing a holistic look at the U.S. golf industry for 2024. Momentum across the recreational side of the U.S. golf industry remained broadly positive this past year, and future indicators point to sustainability when it comes to participation and play.
Does Golf Have a Capacity Problem?
More golfers have played more rounds over the past several years and this means U.S. golf courses – broadly speaking — are busier than ever. So what are operators and golfers saying about current capacity, whether it's being able to run a facility efficiently given the manpower and course conditioning, or getting tee times at crowded public courses on the weekend?
Midyear Update: Worldwide Golf Course Development
There are hundreds of new golf courses in varying stages of development around the world, with over half of those in the pipeline within the U.S. So, which other countries are especially active in the world of golf course construction?
New U.S. Golf Course Projects - by State
New U.S. Golf Course Openings by State
Annual Difference Between U.S. Course Openings/Closings
New Golf Course Openings Trend
Golf Supply Update: More Openings, Fewer Closings
Golf course closures last year came in at their lowest figure in almost two decades, resulting in less than a 1% reduction in overall U.S. supply. Here’s a bit more context, as the closure of golf courses is a topic of frequent interest… and frequent misinterpretation.
Get the full accounting on U.S. golf courses and facilities through year-end 2023
The newest member reports on golf supply in the U.S. are now available, including a comprehensive 46-page dive into the world's best supplied-golf market. As a complement to this annual report is a one-page summary overview of golf facility supply in the U.S. Click here to access and download.
