The State Of The Game Is Good

For the last 24 months the state of professional men’s golf has been in disarray.  LIV upended the PGA Tour’s apple cart, and the tour has been struggling to find it’s footing.  Now we have a shorter season, larger purses, signature events and even TGL.  And still, the divide remains.  If there’s an end in sight, the principals are not sharing that with us.

But let’s make a distinction between the sport of golf and the game of golf.  The game of golf is what you and I play.  It’s thriving!

Last week, at the annual PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando, the golf community, the movers and shakers in the game we play gathered.  It was the highest attendance in 15 years. 33,000 golf industry professionals from 94 countries and all 50 states met with more than 1,000 participants and vendors at the show.

Reports are that the golf industry will be a $102 BILLION business in 2025.  Here’s a great stat, the golf industry employs more people in the country than the restaurant industry.  Think about that for a second, more than the restaurant industry.

The game that we play has seen tremendous growth in the last five years.  As bad as COVID was, it was a godsend to the golf industry.  Golf was one of the few ways people could get outside during COVID, and they did, in record numbers. Roughly, 1 in 7 people played golf in 2022.  In 2022, 48% of golf participants (on and off the course) were between the ages of 6 and 34.  Things like “Full Swing” on NETFLIX, Top Golf, Pop Stroke and more are bringing a more diverse group to the game, younger, more women and more people of color.

So, keep all of this in mind when you hear the talking heads complain about the future of the game. They’re talking about the professional game, and specifically, the men’s professional game.  They are NOT talking about what you and I do, and that’s getting together with family and or friends for a round of golf.  Keep playing and keep enjoying.