INSIGHT
Golf’s boom is still going strong: “The opportunity in golf is huge right now”
New data from the UK and US shows golfers are spending – and playing – more than ever, defying predictions of a post-Covid slowdown
EVER since players rushed back to golf courses in the wake of lockdowns in 2020 and 2021, one question has obsessed the industry: when will the boom turn to bust?
Surely it was just a fad – a temporary switch before people flocked back to football, gyms and travel? Surely the cost-of-living crisis, soaring inflation and rising green-fee prices would see them begin to turn away?
Yet the numbers, both in the UK and across the Atlantic, tell a different story. Far from cooling, the appetite for golf remains as strong as ever.
New figures from The Revenue Club, shared by director Chris Knight on LinkedIn, show 2025 was a record-breaking year for its UK and Irish golf club customers, with casual visitor revenue rising by 19% year-on-year.
While a long and dry summer helped, growth may still have far exceeded expectations. The second quarter of the year saw visitor revenue grow 32% over the equivalent period in 2024, delivering an average gain of £17,000.
19%
How much casual visitor revenue has risen year-on-year for UK & Irish clubs, according to The Revenue Club
Momentum continued into the third quarter, with results remaining “well above industry standards” and average additional revenue of £7,544 per club compared with the same period 12 months earlier.
By the end of September, the average club stood £27,162 and 19% ahead of 2024 levels, according to The Revenue Club’s report, ‘2025 – A Record-Breaking Year for UK & Irish Golf Clubs’.
The company, which supports clubs with dynamic pricing and digital marketing, says the gains are down to a mix of stronger demand and smarter management.
A 13% rise in booking-engine users demonstrated stronger visitor interest
Average online green fees increased by 5%
Clubs that implemented flexible pricing and quick marketing during good weather “captured demand without deterring visitors”
By way of illustration, the £27,000 figure could equate to around 300 extra rounds at a club with a green fee of around £90.
There are similar successes across the Atlantic. GolfNow, the US tee-time booking platform, recorded seven of its top 10 all-time booking days in 2025.
It set monthly records for total rounds booked five times during the year, with June 15 the busiest day in the company’s 17-year history.
£17,000
The average gain per UK & Irish club in the second quarter of 2025
£27,162
The amount the average UK & Irish club stood ahead of 2024 levels
June 15 2025
The busiest single booking day in US tee-time company GolfNow’s history
Bookings on New Year’s Day beat the 2023 benchmark by 26%, while the Easter weekend smashed the 2021 record by 32%. All-time highs were also achieved on Mother’s Day and Labor Day.
Looking ahead to next year, The Revenue Club reported the “the opportunity in golf is huge right now”, with “strong fundamentals in place” to continue the momentum.
“Increased demand, optimised pricing and effective digital channels position clubs well for sustained growth.”
So with the data showing a market that appears to be evolving, not evaporating, golf’s growth may be less a fleeting pandemic surge and more the result of modern business practices complementing enthusiasm to play.
Do we need to rethink what the “boom” is in golf? Is it no longer a temporary lift, but a long-term shift in how players are booking and value the sport?
seven
of GolfNow’s top 10 all-time booking days came in 2025