Australian golf is in the middle of a sustained boom. Golf Australia’s 2024–25 Golf Participation Report found that, for the first time, more than four million Australians played golf in some form in the previous year, about one in every seven people.

The key numbers

  • Total participation rose 5.2%, passing four million.
  • Golf club membership reached 477,220, up 3.5% and the fifth consecutive year of growth. Membership is up 24.7% since 2017–18, which Golf Australia describes as the strongest and most sustained period of growth in three decades.
  • More than 1.6 million Australians played at off-course venues such as driving ranges, indoor simulators and entertainment-style facilities.
  • Social club memberships grew 14.8% in the year and have grown 10.7% a year over five years, more than triple the rate of traditional memberships.

Younger players are arriving

The report found that 38% of new club members in the past year were under 35, almost double the share among existing members. Membership among under-18s grew 18.2%, led by Queensland, Victoria and New South Wales.

Junior programs are at record levels. MyGolf, the national junior program delivered with LIV Golf’s Ripper GC, recorded more than 40,000 registrations, up 11.2%. TeeMates, a flexible junior membership, grew 25.2%. Get Into Golf, aimed at adult beginners, grew 10.1%, with women making up almost 88% of participants.

Why the boom

Golf Australia chief executive James Sutherland points to several drivers in the report’s foreword: off-course golf bringing new people into the game, social media and celebrity interest, and technology such as launch monitors and simulators. The report also cites influencers ranging from Bryson DeChambeau and Australia’s Min Woo Lee to the creators known as The Inspired Unemployed.

The economic case

Golf Australia says the sport generates $10.3 billion in total economic activity each year, including $3 billion in community benefits and $860 million in physical and mental health gains. As with all industry-commissioned estimates, the figures should be treated as indicative.

Growing pains

Sutherland acknowledges that growth brings challenges. “Increased participation and demand require continued investment in facilities, workforce, and innovation,” he writes. For clubs, that can mean waiting lists, pressure on tee times and debates about whether to prioritise members or casual players. For councils, which own many public courses, it raises questions about land use, as golf competes with housing, parks and other sports for space.

There are business opportunities too. Driving ranges, simulators and entertainment-style venues have grown rapidly, and coaching, equipment and apparel all benefit from more players. Major events such as the Australian Open, the Australian PGA Championship and LIV Golf Adelaide have recorded strong crowds.

The outlook

The question for the industry is whether this is a permanent shift or a cycle. The strength of junior growth and the rise of flexible membership models suggest a broader base than in previous booms. Keeping new players in the game will depend on clubs adapting to how they want to play, which is increasingly social, flexible and time-efficient.

For investors and operators, the data supports continued investment in facilities that make golf quicker, more social and easier to start, from driving ranges and simulators to shorter course formats.