The Growth of Junior Golf

Golf was the fastest-growing sport among 13-to-17-year-olds in the United States between 2019 and 2022 — up an estimated 45%, according to the Aspen Institute's annual study on youth sports. Tennis was second at 25%. Soccer was third at 0.2%. Every other major

The Money Behind The Open

The Open at Royal Troon is sold out. An estimated 250,000 fans will attend — up 70,000 from the last time Troon hosted. The Open is the R&A's economic engine, funding nearly everything the organization does to govern and grow golf globally. Here is where

The Price of Golf

U.S. inflation rose an estimated 24.8% since 2019. Golf is not immune — prices have increased across green fees, equipment, labor, and memberships. But the sport has largely tracked the broader economy, and so far, the price increases have not slowed the demand curve. Here is where the pressure

Golf's Problem: Tee Time Supply

Golf rounds hit a record 531 million in 2023 — up 20% since 2019. But the U.S. has lost 2,270 courses over the past 18 years with no net increase since 2005. Demand is surging on a shrinking supply base, and the consequences are becoming measurable. Here is where

The Arms Race In College Golf

Alabama just unveiled a $40 million golf facility — the most expensive in college golf history. Vanderbilt, Georgia Tech, and North Carolina have each invested $11 to $16 million. College golf is in a full-blown arms race, and the economics of who can compete for a national championship are being

Golf's Governing Bodies Are Building Empires

The PGA of America, the USGA, and the R&A are each investing tens of millions into permanent campuses that double as championship venues. Six majors in Frisco over twelve years. Five U.S. Opens in Pinehurst over twenty-three. A 150-year land lease. Combined projected economic impact:

The Growth Engine: Women and Junior Golf

Golf added an estimated 820,000 net new female golfers from 2020 to 2022 — nearly double the male gain. Female juniors now represent 34% of all junior golfers, up from 15% in 2000. The two fastest-growing segments are the two that matter most for long-term sustainability. Here is

The Economics of Hosting a Major

The PGA Championship delivered an estimated $80 million in economic impact to Louisville — a metro of 1.36 million with no major professional sports team. Golf's majors do something no other sport does: they bring nine-figure economic events to mid-market communities with no permanent pro sports

Golf's Independent Media Explosion

YouTube is now the dominant video platform in the world — and golf creators have built audiences on it that rival the sport's institutional channels. Good Good has a single video with 8.7 million views; the U.S. Open hasn't drawn that on a Sunday since

The Myrtle Beach Experiment: YouTube as a Tournament Marketing Engine

A YouTube video for a PGA Tour qualifier generated nearly two million views — on a channel that rarely breaks 1,000. The Myrtle Beach Classic, an opposite-field event with a $4 million purse, solved its marketing problem by putting YouTube creators in the competitive field. The result is a