Topic
Facility Management
The youth movement gets the headlines, but Baby Boomers are still punching above their weight, and the data tells the story.
Golfers 65 and older represent 22% of on-course participants but account for 27% of spending. With 10,000 Americans turning 65 every day through 2030, NGF President & CEO Greg Nathan explains why the Boomer generation remains one of golf's most important economic forces, and why a post-Boomer cliff is far less likely than many assume.
Midway through 2026, and in the heart of golf's peak season, play at U.S. courses is on pace to set another record for rounds -- provided any unforeseen disruptions during the second half of the year.
New U.S. golf course development is at its highest level in more than a decade, with active projects in 32 states — including three which together account for 40% of new course activity.
Play remains ahead of 2025's record pace at midway point of year
June is one of the highest-volume months of the year for U.S. play and rounds were slightly ahead of the 2025 pace on a national level.
Inside Golf’s Foundational Municipal Renaissance
Approximately 70% of Core golfers had some of their earliest golf experiences at municipally owned or operated facilities, underscoring these courses' critical role as a primary pipeline for developing engaged participants. And as the number of municipal facilities has climbed to record levels, the customer base at many munis looks very much like a diverse cross-section of local residents of all ages, genders and ethnic backgrounds.
Golf’s Most Diverse Era Yet
Golfer growth among People of Color outpaces trend in U.S. population
Over the past decade and a half, the U.S. population has gotten increasingly diverse -- with the total number of People of Color increasing by just over 30%. What’s notable, however, is that the Asian, Black and Hispanic on-course golfer base over that same period has risen even more appreciably.
The Record Rise of Female Golf
Women and girls have outpaced their male counterparts and accounted for a greater share of growth when it comes to post-pandemic participation gains in recreational golf. The recent momentum has more than reversed the declines seen in the female participation ranks following the Great Recession.
Topics: Business Management, Course Operations, Equipment & Gear, Facility Management, Green-Grass Facility, Instruction, Media & Marketing, Off-course Facility, Retail
Female Participation & Engagement Report Now Available
See the highlights from the new member report
Women and girls have been major contributors to the recent participation surges within the recreational game, as the number of U.S. golfers continues to climb toward record territory.
Topics: Course Operations, Facility Management, Green-Grass Facility, Instruction, Media & Marketing, Off-course Facility, Specialized Services
NGF Promotes Jodi Reilly to Senior Manager, Consulting Services
Jodi Reilly has been promoted to Senior Manager of NGF's Consulting Services, recognizing her longstanding impact on the organization’s advisory work and her growing role in leading client-facing engagements across the golf industry.
Topics: Course Operations, Facility Management
NGF Consulting Celebrates Re-Opening of South Florida Muni
Hollywood Beach GC Welcomes Public Back After Two-Year Restoration Project
For the National Golf Foundation’s consulting team, the recent reopening of Hollywood Beach Golf Club in South Florida represents the successful culmination of a years-long collaboration on the restoration of a century-old Golden Age public course – an extensive effort driven by city officials and supported by residents.
The Upside and Uptick of Golf Leagues
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.
Rounds of golf for March remained relatively stable at a national level, with declines on the East Coast offset by West Coast gains driven by warm, dry weather.
