Happy New Year! This is such an exciting time, as the state of our game and business remains strong and we look to the future with great optimism. The golf industry is trending positively and, according to our friends at the National Golf Foundation, explosive growth continues across many key sectors of the industry. Led by PGA of America Golf Professionals at public, private, resort and municipal facilities; on- and off-course instruction/fitting centers; and the new wave of entertainment venues, we are making a real difference.
There are many indicators that the golf industry has never been stronger, highlighted by rounds played, which hit 528 million in 2023 — up 3 percent from 2022 and 20 percent better than 2019. Also, the total number of golf participants (on- and off-course included) has increased 53 percent in less than 10 years, up from about 30 million in 2014 to 45 million in 2023.
It’s truly remarkable that 45 million people ages 6 and over played golf in 2023. These record-setting numbers include 26.6 million people who teed it up on a golf course, with another 18.4 million experiencing the game exclusively via off-course golf activities at popular facilities such as driving ranges, indoor golf simulators or golf entertainment venues like Topgolf.
Another sector where we’ve seen sustained growth is golf travel, which represents a $40-plus billion market annually, an indispensable segment of the game’s $102 billion overall economic impact. It’s critical that we continue to promote the breadth of opportunities that exist for destination golf travel, both domestically and internationally.
These are just a few of the many indicators that highlight how much our game is thriving entering 2025, and as the leaders of the business we must remain laser-focused on driving the industry forward at every level.
We now look ahead to the 72nd annual PGA Show, the largest global business gathering in the golf industry, which takes place Jan. 21-24 in Orlando. If you are not registered yet, I encourage you to get on board and attend the Show, as well as the Teaching & Coaching Summit on Jan. 19-20, as they are the epicenter of all things golf and the true kick-off of the 2025 season. Collaboration among PGA of America Members is critical as we share new ideas, programs and best practices, while reinforcing our leadership position within the industry.
This month’s PGA Magazine cover story profiles the PGA Show and all that it offers to the industry. Specific for PGA of America Members, the Show provides a comprehensive schedule of more than 70 education sessions across a wide range of professional development topics, hosted by influential, national-level experts from the world of business, golf operations, teaching and coaching and retail. They will present the latest insights, strategies and practical tools for business success at every level of our profession.
If you take a moment and look at the numbers, you will see why the PGA Show is such an important event to jump start the golf season. More than 30,000 industry professionals from around the world converge on Orlando, along with more than 1,000 exhibiting companies and brands, with nearly 1,000 media members covering Show happenings, and the next wave of golf industry storylines.
I consider the PGA Show a must-attend event, and while it’s terrific to see approximately 7,000 PGA of America Members at the Show each year, we need more.
This is our PGA Show, and it’s a time to connect and collaborate with peers, mentors and golf industry leaders to drive the continued growth of the sport and the business of golf. I look forward to seeing you at the Show. When you see me walking around, please introduce yourself. I would love to meet you and hear how you are doing. Safe travels and God bless.
Sincerely,