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The face of golf just might have changed more in that past five years than it has in the past five decades. That’s the news from the National Golf Foundation (NGF), which reports that more than one-quarter of green-grass golfers in the United States are girls, women or People of Color — distinct yet overlapping segments that historically have been underrepresented in the sport.
According to the golf business trade association, there has been a net increase of 2.3 million females and 2.1 million golfers of color playing on courses since the start of the coronavirus pandemic. Women and girls have been particularly impactful in driving the sport’s post-pandemic growth, accounting for approximately 60% of the net gain in green grass golfers since 2019. The female golfer population has now reached nearly 7.9 million — an all-time high.
Compare that to 2012, when females accounted for just 20% of on-course golfers. That lower percentage coincided with the aftermath of the Great Recession between 2007 and 2009, when many households faced tighter finances and an increase in two-income families — leading to reduced free time and less discretionary spending on such activities as golf.
The growth in racial and ethnic diversity has been even more dramatic when viewed over a longer period, NGF officials noted. In 2024, there were almost 7 million Black, Asian and Hispanic on-course golfers (another record total). This stands in contrast to 1990, when people of color represented 8% of green grass golfers. By 2000, in part because of the emergence of Tiger Woods, that representation increased to 16%.
The ongoing shift mirrors broader demographic changes in the U.S. population, which continues to become increasingly diverse in terms of racial and ethnic makeup.
Golf’s off-course-only participant pool is even more diverse. Females comprise 43% of the over 19 million Americans who play off-course forms of golf exclusively — driving ranges, mini-golf and indoor golf simulators, for example — while People of Color make up 45% of this group. Introductions and engagement away from the golf course have been shown to benefit the traditional game, as recent years have seen record or near-record numbers of beginners getting out on a golf course for the first time.
“The record levels of participation and representation in [these] key segments … suggest that golf is not only becoming more reflective of America’s changing
demographics, but the industry’s efforts to create a more inclusive environment are bearing fruit, setting the stage for continued growth and diversity in the years ahead,” the NGF concluded.
Additionally, last fall, the NGF revealed that golfers in the 18-34 age group are now the largest group of on-course golfers — crediting such factors as social media, new apparel trends, YouTube influencers and other content creators for the increase.
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