Golf participation in the United States is broadening across gender, race and ethnicity, age, and engagement setting. In 2024, 28.1 million Americans played green-grass golf on a course, while a broader measure that includes off-course formats reached 64.3 million; these are different populations and should not be combined casually.
Key Golf Participation Diversity Statistics
The following figures summarize the most useful U.S. participation, demographic, youth, off-course, and access measures:
- In 2024, 28.1 million Americans played green-grass golf on a course in the United States.
- In 2024, women and girls represented 28% of U.S. on-course golfers.
- In 2024, Black, Asian, and Hispanic golfers represented 25% of U.S. on-course golfers.
- In 2024, nearly 7.9 million women and girls played on course in the United States.
- In 2024, nearly 7 million Black, Asian, and Hispanic golfers played on course in the United States.
- From 2018 to 2023, the number of women and girls playing on course rose 23% in the United States.
- From 2018 to 2023, the number of Asian, Black, and Hispanic on-course golfers rose 43% in the United States.
- In 2023, 3.5 million golfers ages 6–17 played on course in the United States.
- From 2019 to 2023, junior on-course participation increased 40% among U.S. golfers ages 6–17.
- In 2023, 45 million people age 6 and older participated in golf when on-course and off-course participants were included.
- In 2023, 32.9 million people participated in off-course golf in the United States.
- In 2024, 64.3 million golfers were counted by a broad measure that included Topgolf and simulators.
- By February 2024, nearly 200,000 Youth on Course members were in the United States, Canada, and Australia program.
- By February 2024, Youth on Course members could play at more than 2,000 courses for $5 or less.
- In 2024, PGA HOPE served more than 13,500 veterans across its program network.
- In 2024, PGA HOPE operated at more than 530 locations in all 50 states.
- By 2023, LPGA*USGA Girls Golf had impacted 1 million girls globally.
Contents
- U.S. golf participation diversity by scale and composition
- Women and girls golf participation trends
- People of Color golf participation data
- Junior golf participation diversity and youth growth
- Off-course golf participation and new entry points
- Access-program statistics and participation pathways
U.S. Golf Participation Diversity by Scale and Composition
The National Golf Foundation (NGF) defines green-grass or on-course participation separately from broader golf engagement. Its 2024 estimate counted 28.1 million on-course golfers, the highest total since 2008, and reported demographic shares within that population.
| 2024 on-course measure | U.S. estimate | Definition or caveat |
|---|---|---|
| Total green-grass golfers | 28.1 million | On-course golfers |
| Women and girls | 28%; nearly 7.9 million | Female segment |
| Black, Asian, and Hispanic golfers | 25%; nearly 7 million | Combined NGF grouping |
Source: Golf Participation: Growing & Diversifying. The female and People of Color categories overlap, and the combined race and ethnicity grouping is not a mutually exclusive table.
The longer historical comparison shows movement in representation, but the source cautions that historical definitions should not automatically be treated as identical across survey waves. People of Color represented 8% of green-grass golfers in 1990 and 16% in 2000, while the NGF comparison placed People of Color at 30% of the U.S. population age 6 and older in 2000 and above 40% in its current comparison cited in the 2025 report.
Women and Girls Golf Participation Trends
Women and girls have been a major source of recent on-course growth. NGF reported a 23% increase from 2018 to 2023, while a PGA report reproducing NGF segment data reported a 25% increase from 2019 to 2023.
| Female on-course measure | Period | Reported result |
|---|---|---|
| Female golfer population | 2023 | 7.0 million |
| Share of on-course golfers | 2023 | 26% |
| Female population change | 2019–2023 | +1.4 million; +25% |
| Female population change | 2020–2024 | +2.3 million |
| Share of net green-grass increase | 2019–2024 | Approximately 60% |
Sources: Golf Participation Update — Bigger, Younger and Cooler, 108th PGA Annual Meeting – Written Report and Minutes, and Golf Participation: Growing & Diversifying.
The 2024 NGF figure summarized by LPGA and USGA used a rounded expression of one-quarter of all golfers for females. The same report said girls represented 38% of junior golfers and described girls under 18 as the fastest-growing segment, an ordinal description rather than a complete ranking table.
Source: USGA’s Investment Has Taken Women’s Game to New Heights. The junior denominator and age definition follow the cited NGF reporting.
People of Color Golf Participation Data
The available race and ethnicity figures are primarily combined measures. NGF reported that Asian, Black, and Hispanic on-course golfers increased 43% from 2018 to 2023, reaching 6.1 million people and 23% of green-grass golfers in 2023.
- People of Color on-course participation increased by 1.4 million from 2019 to 2023, a 27% increase.
- The combined People of Color on-course segment rose 8% from 2022 to 2023.
- From the start of the pandemic to 2024, People of Color on-course golfers increased by 2.1 million.
- From 2020 to 2024, Hispanic participation increased 26%, while Black participation increased 123%.
Sources: 108th PGA Annual Meeting – Written Report and Minutes, Golf Participation: Growing & Diversifying, and 109th PGA Annual Meeting – Written Report of CEO.
These measures should be read as participation growth, not population share. The NGF People of Color grouping is defined in the supplied reporting as Black, Asian, or Hispanic, and it overlaps with the female segment; the source does not provide a mutually exclusive race-by-race table for all figures.
Junior Golf Participation Diversity and Youth Growth
Youth participation shows both scale and program-specific pathways. The NGF segment estimate counted 3.5 million U.S. on-course golfers ages 6–17 in 2023, up 40% from 2019 and 2% from 2022.
| Junior or youth measure | Period or date | Result |
|---|---|---|
| On-course golfers ages 6–17 | 2023 | 3.5 million |
| Junior on-course participation change | 2019–2023 | +40% |
| Junior on-course participation change | 2022–2023 | +2% |
| Broader youth participation change | 2020–2024 | +48% |
| PGA Jr. League registrations | 2024 | More than 77,800; +5% year over year |
Source: 108th PGA Annual Meeting – Written Report and Minutes, 109th PGA Annual Meeting – Written Report of CEO, and Our Fiscal Year 2025 Impact Report: PGA of America REACH Foundation. The broader youth label is not identical to the separately defined ages 6–17 segment, and PGA Jr.
League registrations are not unique nationwide golfers.
LPGAUSGA Girls Golf reported 1 million girls impacted through 2023* and more than 550 sites globally as of 2023. USGA financial support for the program exceeded $8 million cumulatively from 1996 through 2024, and more than 90 former participants were competing on the LPGA and Epson tours at the time of the 2024 report; that alumnae count is a program outcome, not a causal estimate.
Source: USGA’s Investment Has Taken Women’s Game to New Heights.
Off-Course Golf Participation and New Entry Points
Off-course formats materially change the measured size and composition of golf. In 2023, NGF classified 12.1 million on-course-only participants, 18.5 million off-course-only participants, and 14.5 million people who engaged both on course and off course.
| 2023 engagement group | People | Classification |
|---|---|---|
| On-course only | 12.1 million | No off-course engagement in the classification |
| Off-course only | 18.5 million | No on-course participation in the classification |
| Both on and off course | 14.5 million | Combined engagement |
| All golf participants age 6+ | 45 million | Includes on-course and off-course participants |
Source: Golf Participation Update — Bigger, Younger and Cooler and 108th PGA Annual Meeting – Written Report and Minutes.
The PGA report placed total off-course participation at 32.9 million in 2023, up 18% from 2022 and 41% from 2019. That off-course total includes people who may also play on course and therefore is not the same as the off-course-only group.
For 2024, NGF reported that females made up 43% and People of Color 45% of the more than 19 million off-course-only participants. Those shares are not directly comparable with the on-course shares because the population and engagement mode differ.
Source: Golf Participation: Growing & Diversifying. A broader 2024 count reached 64.3 million golfers when Topgolf and simulators were included.
Access-Program Statistics and Participation Pathways
Access programs provide measurable entry points, but their counts describe program reach, membership, cohorts, or milestones rather than total U.S. participation.
- Youth on Course members had played 3 million rounds by February 2024; the program had nearly 200,000 members across the United States, Canada, and Australia.
- By February 2024, Youth on Course members could play at more than 2,000 courses for $5 or less.
- Youth on Course took 14 years to reach its first million member rounds, then reached its second million 28 months later and its third million 17 months after that.
- Youth on Course reached 1,000 course partners in 2020, 2,000 in 2023, and expanded access to all 50 U.S. states in 2021.
Sources: Youth on Course Celebrates Three Million Rounds Milestone and 20 Years of Impact. These are program milestones and access conditions, not estimates of all junior rounds or facilities.
PGA REACH also reported several inclusion and development measures for 2024:
| Program measure | 2024 result | Scope |
|---|---|---|
| PGA HOPE veterans served | More than 13,500 | United States and first international location |
| PGA HOPE locations | More than 530 in all 50 states | Program locations |
| Professionals with adaptive military cultural-competency training | More than 4,500 | PGA HOPE training count |
| PGA WORKS fellows | 27 | 2024 cohort |
| PGA Golf Management scholarship recipients | 25 | Students |
| Beyond The Green young leaders | More than 300 | 2024 gathering |
| PGA WORKS Collegiate Championship field | 184 | Student-athletes; 37th edition |
Source: Our Fiscal Year 2025 Impact Report: PGA of America REACH Foundation. Program locations, trained professionals, event attendance, scholarships, and competition fields should not be interpreted as overall participation totals.