Notably, golf has been taken up at an astonishing rate by younger players. The National Golf Foundation estimates 630,000 players under the age of 18 played golf for the first time in the last twelve months. David Pillsbury, the CEO of ClubCorp, the largest owner and operator of private clubs in the country, says that even among slightly older groups, 47% of all new players were between the ages of 30 and 50.
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According to Jay Karen, the CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association, or the NGCOA, the latent demand of golf players, defined as those who demonstrate
interest but have yet to play, has also skewed younger. This is one of the most important metrics in the industry. W H AT I N N O VAT I O N M E A N S FOR GOLF
To accommodate the new influx of players, innovation in golf course architecture and technology has been a huge focus for Rees Jones, renowned course architect, and the designer of The Atlantic Golf Club and The Bridge in Bridgehampton. One of his recent priorities has been innovating drainage systems to ensure a course’s longevity and efficiency.
Rounds of Golf Played Annually Over Past 5 Years
# O F R O U N D S P L AY E D ( I N M I L L I O N S )
500
500M
480
460
469M
456M
440
441M
425M
420
400 2016
2017
2018
*Data curated by National Golf Foundation and Golf Datatech.
88
2019
2020