Gitnux/Report 2026

Golf Course Industry Statistics

In 2023, the U.S. golf course industry produced $84 billion in total economic output while paying $32 billion in wages and supporting 2.2 million jobs, even as 75% of courses reported staffing shortages and average water use fell to 250,000 gallons per day. Track how on course participation hit a record 26 million, wages averaged $45,000, sustainability adoption jumped to 68% globally, and why these swings are reshaping how courses budget, hire, and conserve.
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Golf Course Industry Statistics
Lukas BauerWritten by Lukas Bauer·Edited by Emilia Santos·Fact-checked by Rajesh Patel
Last verified Jul 6, 2026
Verified via a 4-step process
01Source

Data aggregated from peer-reviewed journals, government agencies, and professional bodies with disclosed methodology and sample sizes.

02Verify

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Within the next 30 days
In 2023, US golf courses generated $84 billion in total economic output and supported 2.2 million jobs, yet 75% of courses still reported staffing shortages. Wages reached $32 billion and revenues climbed 5% year over year to $27 billion, but courses reported shrinking water use and major sustainability progress at the same time. Here are the key Golf Course Industry stats that explain how participation, labor constraints, and sustainability are reshaping operations.

Key Takeaways

  • In 2023, the U.S. golf course industry generated $84 billion in total economic output
  • Golf courses contributed $32 billion in wages to the U.S. economy in 2023
  • The industry supported 2.2 million jobs in the U.S. in 2023, including direct and indirect employment
  • U.S. golf industry employed 366,000 directly on golf courses in 2023
  • Average wage for U.S. golf course workers was $45,000 annually in 2023
  • 75% of U.S. golf courses reported staffing shortages in 2023
  • The global golf industry market size was valued at $9.84 billion in 2022 and projected to reach $14.5 billion by 2030
  • U.S. golf course revenues grew 5% year-over-year to $27 billion in 2023
  • Number of U.S. golf courses stood at 15,962 in 2023, down slightly from previous years
  • 26 million Americans played golf on-course in 2023, a record high
  • Total golf participants in the U.S. reached 41 million in 2023, including off-course
  • 18-34 year-olds made up 35% of new golfers in the U.S. in 2023
  • 68% of global golf courses adopted sustainable water practices by 2023
  • U.S. courses reduced pesticide use by 25% since 2011 through IPM in 2023
  • 45% of U.S. golf courses achieved GEO certification for sustainability in 2023

In 2023, U.S. golf delivered major economic impact and record participation while advancing sustainability.

Related reading

01 · Category

Economic Impact15 stats

01
In 2023, the U.S. golf course industry generated $84 billion in total economic output
02
Golf courses contributed $32 billion in wages to the U.S. economy in 2023
03
The industry supported 2.2 million jobs in the U.S. in 2023, including direct and indirect employment
04
Golf-related retail sales reached $28.1 billion in the U.S. in 2023
05
Tax revenues from golf courses totaled $4.7 billion federally and $3.6 billion at state/local levels in the U.S. in 2023
06
U.S. golf facilities spent $16.5 billion on goods and services from other industries in 2023
07
The multiplier effect of golf spending generated $24 billion in indirect output in the U.S. in 2023
08
Golf tourism accounted for $29 billion in U.S. economic impact in 2023
09
Average green fee revenue per U.S. golf course was $1.2 million in 2023
10
F&B revenue at U.S. golf courses averaged $250,000per facility in 2023
11
Cart rental fees contributed $400,000on average per U.S. course in 2023
12
Membership dues averaged $150,000per U.S. private club in 2023
13
U.S. golf course maintenance spending hit $15 billion industry-wide in 2023
14
Real estate development around golf courses added $10 billion to U.S. property values in 2023
15
Charitable giving by U.S. golf facilities exceeded $200 million in 2023
Interpretation

Economic Impact Interpretation

In 2023, the U.S. golf course industry proved its economic impact by driving $84 billion in total output and $32 billion in wages while supporting 2.2 million jobs, showing how golf anchors broad employment and income beyond just on-course play.

02 · Category

Employment And Operations16 stats

01
U.S. golf industry employed 366,000 directly on golf courses in 2023
02
Average wage for U.S. golf course workers was $45,000annually in 2023
03
75% of U.S. golf courses reported staffing shortages in 2023
04
Superintendent salaries averaged $95,000in the U.S. in 2023
05
U.S. golf courses operated with 15% fewer seasonal workers in 2023 vs. pre-pandemic
06
Pro shop staff turnover rate was 28% at U.S. courses in 2023
07
42% of U.S. golf facilities increased wages by 10%+ in 2023
08
Maintenance crew size averaged 12 FTEs per U.S. course in 2023
09
PGA professionals numbered 28,000 in the U.S. in 2023
10
U.S. golf operations spent $3.2 billion on labor in 2023
11
65% of courses offered employee housing or incentives in 2023
12
Average operating expenses per U.S. hole were $45,000in 2023
13
Cart fleet size averaged 45 units per U.S. course in 2023
14
82% of U.S. courses used irrigation systems covering 90%+ of turf in 2023
15
Annual chemical usage per U.S. course averaged 1,200 lbs in 2023
16
U.S. golf courses recycled 55% of waste materials in 2023
Interpretation

Employment And Operations Interpretation

In 2023, the employment and operations picture for U.S. golf course staffing looked strained, with 75% of courses reporting shortages and seasonal work still down 15% versus pre-pandemic while wages averaged $45,000 and pro shop turnover hit 28%.

03 · Category

Industry Size And Growth15 stats

01
The global golf industry market size was valued at $9.84 billion in 2022 and projected to reach $14.5 billion by 2030
02
U.S. golf course revenues grew 5% year-over-year to $27 billion in 2023
03
Number of U.S. golf courses stood at 15,962 in 2023, down slightly from previous years
04
Global golf course count reached 38,964 in 2023
05
U.S. public-access golf courses numbered 13,800 in 2023, representing 86% of total facilities
06
The golf equipment market was valued at $7.45 billion globally in 2023
07
Projected CAGR for global golf tourism market is 6.2% from 2023 to 2030
08
U.S. golf industry rounds played increased to 545 million in 2023
09
Off-course golf facilities in the U.S. grew to 7,446 in 2023
10
Daily-fee courses in the U.S. generated $18.5 billion in revenue in 2023
11
Private club revenues rose 4% to $8.2 billion in the U.S. in 2023
12
Resort courses contributed $2.3 billion to U.S. industry revenue in 2023
13
Asia-Pacific golf market expected to grow at 7.1% CAGR through 2030
14
U.S. golf course construction market valued at $1.2 billion in 2023
15
European golf facilities numbered 6,788 in 2023
Interpretation

Industry Size And Growth Interpretation

In the Industry Size And Growth category, the golf industry’s $9.84 billion global market in 2022 is projected to expand to $14.5 billion by 2030 while U.S. golf course revenues climbed 5% year over year to $27 billion in 2023.

More related reading

04 · Category

Player Participation17 stats

01
26 million Americans played golf on-course in 2023, a record high
02
Total golf participants in the U.S. reached 41 million in 2023, including off-course
03
18-34 year-olds made up 35% of new golfers in the U.S. in 2023
04
Female participation in golf rose to 14% of total U.S. on-course players in 2023
05
Junior golf participation (ages 6-17) hit 3.46 million in the U.S. in 2023
06
Off-course golf participants outnumbered on-course by 2:1 in the U.S. in 2023
07
Average rounds per U.S. golfer was 19 in 2023
08
24 million U.S. core golfers played 8+ rounds in 2023
09
Golf participation among Hispanic Americans grew 40% from 2019 to 2023
10
78% of U.S. golfers played on public courses in 2023
11
First-time golfers in the U.S. reached 3 million in 2023
12
Average age of U.S. golfer dropped to 43.5 years in 2023
13
6.3 million U.S. women played golf in 2023, up 20% since 2019
14
Urban millennials played 25% more golf rounds in 2023 vs. 2022
15
Global golf participants estimated at 60 million in 2023
16
45% of U.S. golfers used simulators or off-course facilities in 2023
17
Repeat play rate for new U.S. golfers was 52% in 2023
Interpretation

Player Participation Interpretation

In 2023, golf participation in the U.S. broadened significantly with 26 million Americans playing on course and 41 million participating overall, driven by younger golfers with 18 to 34 year olds forming 35% of new players and by growth in women reaching 14% of on course participants.
report visual · Breakdown

Where golf industry impact goes (U.S., 2023)

Golf’s economic impact spans wages, jobs, and broader output—plus meaningful indirect effects through spending and tourism.

75%
75% of U.S. golf courses reported staffing shortages in 2023
25%
Urban millennials played 25% more golf rounds in 2023 vs. 2022
Reference

Cite This Report

This report is designed to be cited. We maintain stable URLs and versioned verification dates. Copy the format appropriate for your publication below.

APA
Lukas Bauer. (2026, February 13). Golf Course Industry Statistics. Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/golf-course-industry-statistics
MLA
Lukas Bauer. "Golf Course Industry Statistics." Gitnux, 13 Feb 2026, https://gitnux.org/golf-course-industry-statistics.
Chicago
Lukas Bauer. 2026. "Golf Course Industry Statistics." Gitnux. https://gitnux.org/golf-course-industry-statistics.

Sources & references

12 datasets cited across this report · attribution is report-level

ngf.orggrandviewresearch.comranda.orgstatista.comalliedmarketresearch.commordorintelligence.comibisworld.comkeeplayingeurope.comgcsaa.orgpga.orgusga.orggolfenvironment.org