We've spent the past few years discussing the rapid growth of golf, so it only makes sense that 2023 would be a year defined by the evolution of golf. From the professional ranks to your favorite local course to places many wouldn't have dreamed golf would be played, change has come to the game of golf. Change can be a scary word, especially for a sport bound in tradition, but as we know, it's a necessary and healthy part of sustaining anything. And let's be clear: who's playing golf, where its being played and how people enjoy it may be adapting to a new generation, but the why has remained and always will remain the same.
With that in mind, let's examine the top five game-changers from the world of golf in 2023:
The PGA Tour Merger
The headlines regarding professional golf have been dominated for the past couple years by LIV Golf, culminating with the announcement earlier this year that the PGA TOUR, the DP World Tour, and the PIF (the source of LIV Golf’s finances) agreed to join forces. While the ramifications of merger have limited reach outside of the professional realm, the merger sparked controversy throughout the golf world.
While details of the agreement are still being fleshed out and it's clear that the motivating factor is player payment, it will still be interesting to see if some of the elements of LIV Golf (team formats, shorter events, loosened dress codes, etc.) will permeate into the PGA Tour. These alterations have been met with some derision among golf purists, but also represent the need for some updates in order for golf as a spectator sport to continue to attract new audiences.
Courses Reflecting Communities
While we've come a long way in terms of access from where golf began, the process of golf becoming a game for all people has often times been a slow and arduous one with work still to be done. That said, the number of people that have either found or created their own group of golfers that represent people of every age, race and gender has never been higher.
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From communities like Babes Golf, Fore Gals Golf and Gals on the Green that create a haven for women to learn the game in a stress-free, judgment-free environment, to Tee Divas & Dudes, Latina Golfers and OC Golfbang breaking down barriers for people of color to find a home on the golf course, golf is continuing to become a better reflection of the general population.
The Era of the Golf Brand
Photo: MNML Golf
Gone are the days where you choice was limited to Callaway, TaylorMade, or Titleist, and for more and more each year, gone are the days of viewing golf as just a hobby. And this isn't just more of the same old stuff; golfers have never had more options on how to look, feel, and play their way. In Southern California alone, brands like Nation Golf, Metalwood Studio, MNML, and dozens of others are leading the transformation of golf equipment and apparel.
This revolution isn't limited to just hard goods, either. You don't have to look too hard to find a wave of creators building their brand through golf. Whether it's artists honing their craft on the course, influencers garnering a following of people itching for as much golf content as they can find, or community organizers leading a movement, golf is a business and business is booming.
Taking Golf Off the Course
Photo: The Golf Bar
Speaking of booming golf businesses, golf has become an activity that doesn't only take place on a traditional golf course. With the rise of ventures like TopGolf and indoor simulators, over 6 million people experienced golf off the course in 2023, the majority of which have never played golf before. In fact, the concept has become so popular that Tiger Woods and Rory McIlroy are teaming up to create the first professional indoor simulator golf league.
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Now before we go off celebrating the birth of millions of new golf enthusiasts, it feels only fair to address the questions from those skeptical of whether simulated golf is actually healthy for the golf industry.
Does golf on a simulator count as "real golf"? Debatable, although it seems safe to say that golfers wouldn't want to completely replace the on-course experience.
Will these venues actually help create more on-course golfers? Jury's out, but the evidence so far suggests most non-golfers who play on a simulator haven't made the transition to traditional golf.
Will alternative options for playing golf drive traditional golfers off the course? A valid concern, but data suggests golfers who use simulators are actually motivated to play more rounds on the course.
It'd be naive to think that the motivating factor for these places is to drive customers away from their business and on to the golf course, but that doesn't necessarily mean that they should be viewed solely as a threat to traditional golf. While the focus of these businesses is more on entertainment value than the golf experience, they do serve to diminish many of the negative stereotypes (boring, intimidating, takes too long, etc.) that prevent non-golfers from picking up the sport. Which leads to a final question: how much do any of the questions above matter?
Golf is Cool Now
Photo: GQ
It'd be silly to suggest that the number of people on the course isn't the biggest indicator of the health of the golf industry, but what I mean to suggest with the question above is that the perception of golf, even among non-golfers, is trending more positively. You may not care what someone else thinks of how you choose to spend your leisure time, but when questions arise of whether golf courses are a productive use of land and resources, you better believe the opinions of the 90% of the population that doesn't golf will matter. Golf is cool now, and a large part of that is due to the changes we've discussed here making the golf course a more diverse, accepting, and enjoyable experience.
