Golf charity spans local facility fundraisers, professional tournaments, foundation grants and youth-access programs. Available figures range from a 2011 U.S. industry estimate to audited fiscal-year statements and event results reported through 2026, with currencies, definitions and populations varying by source.
Key Golf Charity Statistics
The most broadly useful figures include:
- In 2011, about $3.9 billion was estimated to be generated for charity through U.S. golf across professional and everyday-facility events.
- In the 2011 U.S. estimate, approximately 150,000 charity golf events took place annually.
- In that same estimate, about 12 million people participated in U.S. charity golf events each year, although participants may have attended multiple events.
- In 2011, professional golf events contributed about $150 million to the broader U.S. golf-charity estimate.
- In the cited 2011 estimate, the average U.S. charity golf event generated about $26,000 for charity.
- In 2023, Maine facilities hosted an estimated 668 charitable golf events.
- In Maine’s 2023 estimate, about 3,300 participants were associated with charitable golf events.
- In 2023, Maine facilities raised as much as $4.9 million for charities, according to a survey-based estimate.
- The PGA TOUR reports more than $4.4 billion generated for more than 3,000 charities cumulatively through its event network.
- In the reporting year referenced by a 2023 PGA TOUR statement, about $200 million was generated for 3,000 charities across 34 U.S. states.
- The Rogers Charity Classic raised C$25.4 million for children’s charities across Alberta in 2024.
- The John Deere Classic’s Birdies for Charity program generated $133 million for more than 600 regional organizations from 1992 through 2021.
- The Valero Texas Open reported $24 million raised in 2024.
- The WM Phoenix Open reported $17.5 million raised in 2024 and $208 million cumulatively through that event.
- The PGA Foundation reported $14,165,860 in total revenue and support for fiscal 2024.
- The PGA Foundation reported $5,620,498 in contributions made during fiscal 2024.
- PGA REACH grants, scholarships and charitable contributions totaled $7,827,857 in fiscal 2025.
- The Golf Foundation’s annual golf day in the United Kingdom raised more than £40,000 during its 2026 impact-report year.
Contents
- Key Golf Charity Statistics
- Golf Charity Fundraising Scale and Participation
- PGA TOUR Golf Charity Data
- State-Level Golf Charity Statistics
- Golf Charity Fundraising Records and Beneficiary Reach
- Golf Charity Foundation Finances and Program Spending
- Golf Charity Trends in Youth Access and Community Fundraising
Golf Charity Fundraising Scale and Participation
The broadest U.S. benchmark comes from a World Golf Foundation estimate discussed by its CEO. It covers professional and everyday-facility events, so it should not be read as a registration census or audited national total.
| Measure | Period and geography | Reported figure |
|---|---|---|
| Golf charity fundraising | 2005, United States golf industry | $3.5 billion estimate |
| Golf charity fundraising | 2011, United States golf industry | About $3.9 billion estimate |
| Professional-event contribution | 2011, United States | About $150 million estimate |
| Charity events | 2011 estimate, United States | Approximately 150,000 annually |
| Participating people | 2011 estimate, United States | About 12 million annually |
Source: Discussing golf’s impact: A conversation with Steve Mona. The source says the 2011 total was $400 million above the 2005 estimate, while noting that historical definitions may not be identical.
The same estimate placed the number of U.S. golf facilities conducting charity events at about 12,000 out of roughly 15,000 facilities annually. Its average of about $26,000 per event is an average, not a median, and includes varied event types.
Most of the estimated 2011 proceeds benefited causes outside golf, while a smaller share supported golf programs such as The First Tee or school teams. The source does not quantify that outside-golf share.
A 2013 fundraising-industry account reported that many charity golf tournaments produced net profits below $5,000, with a typical average net result described as closer to $3,800; gross proceeds and net proceeds are not interchangeable.
PGA TOUR Golf Charity Data
PGA TOUR figures describe professional tournaments and affiliated event networks, not the entire golf-charity economy. The TOUR reports more than $4.4 billion generated for more than 3,000 charities since inception and says it supports approximately 3,000 charities each year.
| PGA TOUR measure | Period | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Giving through tournaments | 2018 | $190 million |
| Cumulative charitable total | Through 2018 | $2.84 billion |
| Giving through tournaments | Reporting year referenced in 2023 statement | About $200 million; 3,000 charities; 34 states |
| Prior-year giving cited in same statement | 2022 as described in 2023 statement | $215 million; 3,000 charities |
Source: Charity – PGA TOUR. The two 2023-statement figures have different wording and scopes as reported; they should not be silently merged.
The Rogers Charity Classic sets new fundraising record reported a record C$25.4 million raised in 2024 for children’s charities across Alberta. That was more than C$6 million above the 2023 total, and the event reported C$137.7 million cumulatively from 2013 through 2024.
The 2024 Rogers program listed 293 beneficiary charities. Each received 100% of donations collected on its behalf and was eligible for up to 50% matching funds; the matching cap does not mean every charity received the maximum.
State-Level Golf Charity Statistics
State-level data shows how facility surveys can produce different measures depending on the denominator and definition. The Maine Golf Economic Impact Study 2023 includes statewide estimates, reporting-facility averages and individual examples.
| Maine measure | Period | Figure |
|---|---|---|
| Charitable golf events | 2023 | Estimated 668 |
| Participants | 2023 | About 3,300 |
| Charity proceeds | 2023 | As much as $4.9 million estimate |
| Average raised per event | 2023 statewide estimate | $5,183 |
| Average raised per event | 2023 reported-facility survey | $18,170 |
| Average events per facility | 2023 survey description | 11 annually |
Source: Maine Golf Economic Impact Study 2023, page 27. The page also references 2022 reporting in one sentence, so the survey labels and periods should be retained as published.
The $5,183 statewide estimate and $18,170 reported-facility average are not interchangeable. The report also cites a 2017 national comparison of about $10,000 in average net proceeds per charity event for private and premium public facilities, a restricted facility segment and a historical measure.
Examples from Maine facilities in 2023 illustrate the spread of event-level results:
- Meadows Golf Club hosted 15 charity events and raised more than $180,000.
- Brunswick Golf Club hosted 22 charity events and raised more than $115,000.
- Falmouth Country Club’s Drive Fore Kids tournament raised $100,000.
Maine golf-related charitable foundations raised an additional $450,000 in 2023 outside the facility-event estimate. Separately, Maine Golf’s Scholarship Fund Committee provided $90,000 in college scholarships to 15 students; that is a scholarship outcome, not event proceeds.
Golf Charity Fundraising Records and Beneficiary Reach
Long-running tournament programs show cumulative reach, but their totals use different currencies, dates and beneficiary definitions. They are best read as individual program histories rather than as a single league table.
| Tournament or program | Period | Reported fundraising |
|---|---|---|
| John Deere Classic Birdies for Charity | 1992–2021 | $133 million; more than 600 regional organizations |
| Valero Texas Open | 2002–2024 | More than $256 million; hundreds of charities |
| WM Phoenix Open | Through 2024 | $208 million cumulative |
| Heritage Classic Foundation | 1987–current page statement | $59.5 million donated to South Carolina and Georgia charities |
Sources: John Deere Classic: Birdies for Charity history, FedEx / Valero Texas Open broadcaster packet 2025, Charity – PGA TOUR, and WM Phoenix Open content advisory 2025.
Annual results also varied across these programs. The Valero Texas Open reported a record $24 million in 2024, while the WM Phoenix Open reported $14.5 million in 2023 and $17.5 million in 2024.
The WM Phoenix Open’s 2024 figure was $3 million above its 2023 reported total. The John Deere Classic also reported 2,200 volunteers in 2019 and received the PGA TOUR Most Engaged Community Award in seven of the 11 years before its 2021 feature; recognition is not itself a fundraising outcome.
Golf Charity Foundation Finances and Program Spending
Audited foundation statements measure revenue, contributions and expenses, not necessarily tournament proceeds. The PGA Foundation’s fiscal years ended March 31 provide a useful example of why each financial line needs its own label.
| PGA Foundation line | FY2024 | FY2023 |
|---|---|---|
| Contributions received | $13,830,533 | $9,383,980 |
| Fundraiser event entry fees | $10,000 | $68,750 |
| Sponsorship and other revenue | $324,206 | $217,337 |
| Total revenue and support | $14,165,860 | $9,670,698 |
| Contributions made | $5,620,498 | $1,237,305 |
| Fundraiser event expenses | $1,175,225 | $146,456 |
Source: PGA Foundation, Inc. Financial Statements March 31, 2024 and 2023. These are audited financial-statement lines; contributions made are not necessarily grants from golf tournaments alone.
The later PGA Foundation, Inc. Financial Statements March 31, 2025 and 2024 reported fiscal-2025 program allocations of $7,827,857 for PGA REACH grants, scholarships and charitable contributions, $4,751,191 for PGA REACH Works, $1,342,389 for PGA REACH Hope and $508,317 for Places to Play grants and charitable contributions.
Restricted net assets totaled $4,701,208 at March 31, 2025, compared with $4,366,763 at March 31, 2024. That is a balance-sheet measure rather than annual fundraising.
Golf Charity Trends in Youth Access and Community Fundraising
The Golf Foundation’s 2026 impact-report year illustrates a U.K.-specific mix of participation, club adoption and campaign fundraising. Its measures are not directly comparable with U.S. dollar totals or with the PGA TOUR’s professional-event network.
- The annual golf day involved 20 teams, including 12 new teams, and raised more than £40,000 through participation and an auction.
- Unleash Your Drive drew 3,552 golfers nationwide, with 60 advancing to the final.
- The Super Sixes fixture had 72 players.
- Make Your Mark welcomed 26 new clubs during the impact-report year.
- Charley Hull’s nominated-charity support generated £74,000 for The Golf Foundation through the Tito’s Shorties Classic.
Source: 2026 Impact Report — The Golf Foundation. The report separately records 26 new clubs and 3,552 nationwide golfers, so those populations should not be added together.
These figures show several distinct ways to describe charity-golf reach: money raised, participating teams, golfers reaching a stage of a program, players in one fixture and newly participating clubs. Keeping those units separate is essential when comparing adoption or outcomes across programs.