Powering The Game
CONNECTING THE GOLF ECOSYSTEM Digital
Welcome
DIGITAL TRANSFORMATION THAT DELIVERS IMPACT
Digital is now at the core of modern golf participation, engagement and retention. This playbook demonstrates how National Governing Bodies (NGBs), PGAs, golf clubs and other organisations within the golf ecosystem can increase participation, retention and commercial success through digital systems and applications.
Technology has had a major impact on my career, and on how players experience golf today. Innovation is vital to the future of the game and I want to help golf transition into the digital era. This is why I have invested in Golf Genius, the market leader in golf software. They are driving forward a digital transformation through technology and innovation that makes golf more fun, connected and inspiring for golfers of all ages.
“ “
Rory McIlroy Grand Slam Major Winner, Golf Genius Investor
Our Vision THE FUTURE OF GOLF IS CONNECTED
There has never been a more exciting or pivotal time for golf. As global participation surges, the true opportunity for the game lies in connectivity - the ability to link every player, every round, and every data point into a unified digital infrastructure.
As the proven market leader in golf software solutions, the underlying strength of Golf Genius lies in our scale, reliability and collaborative mindset; working as true partners with our clients to deliver digital infrastructures which connect the sport at every level.
This Digital Playbook represents that evolution. It is a blueprint for the modern game - one where player journeys are no longer linear, but fluid experiences powered by integrated technology. By bridging the gap between beginner programs, elite championships, and indoor simulators, we enable golf organisations to measure their strategic priorities through meaningful data.
Our mission remains clear: Powering the Game through partnership. We invite you to move beyond fragmented systems and join us in building a connected future that secures the longterm prosperity of golf globally.
Chris Kallmeyer | CEO, Golf Genius
INVESTING IN DIGITAL IS INVESTING IN GOLF’S FUTURE
Golf participation is rising across a variety of new and modern formats, with more than 160 million people now engaging with the game globally*.
As the game continues to grow around the world, the expectations of golfers, operators, coaches, and organisations are changing. They want golf to be as seamless, connected, and intelligent as every other part of their lives.
For any golf organisation, the challenge is to modernise and unify their technology to keep up with these new opportunities, formats and changes in customer behaviour whilst sustaining growth.
At Golf Genius, our technology already connects the golfing ecosystem, allowing administrators to help drive the game forward, overcome challenges and grasp the opportunities that technology can provide.
*Sources: The R&A Participation Report & National Golf Foundation’s Graffis Report
CONNECTING THE GOLF ECOSYSTEM
Coaching
TOURNAMENT MANAGEMENT WHS
14K GOLF CLUBS
85M ROUNDS POSTED
80 ASSOCIATIONS INC. 20 FEDERATIONS LARGEST WHS SUPPLIER PLAYER APPS 15M GLOBAL APP DOWNLOADS 147M ROUNDS PLAYED
TOURNAMENT MANAGEMENT
Tournament Management WHS HandicapBEGINNER GOLF
#1 BEGINNER GOLF PROGRAMME GOLF LEAGUES
220K NEW GOLFERS CREATED
2,800+ COACHES WORLDWIDE
800 VENUES WORLDWIDE
11K+ CLIENTS
1.3M TOURNAMENTS AND LEAGUES
650 LEAGUES WORLDWIDE 14K
PARTICIPATING GOLFERS
41M ROUNDS PLAYED
1K+ CLUBS WORLDWIDE LARGEST ORGANISER OF LEAGUES IN USA FIND & PLAY
BESPOKE B2B PLATFORM FOR GOLF RETAIL OPERATIONS THE MOST DOWNLOADED GPS APPS GLOBALLY
4,000 EVENTS LISTED WORLDWIDE
15K UNIQUE USERS
$48M REGISTRATION FEES PROCESSED FIND EVENTS, LEAGUES & CLINICS
1,000+ CLIENTS
6,300 ACTIVE USERS
1.5M RETAIL ACTIVITIES
232M SHOTS TRACKED COACHING 190K+ COACHES IN OUR NETWORK 1.3M GLOBAL APP DOWNLOADS 23.5M ALL-TIME POSTS BY STUDENTS AND COACHES BUILT FOR ATHLETES, PARENTS & COACHES RETAIL OPERATIONS
DRIVING PLAYER PARTICIPATION
1.3M TOURNAMENTS & LEAGUES IN 2025
ELITE
232M+ SHOTS TRACKED
85M WHS ROUNDS POSTED
PRACTICE & IMPROVEMENT
CLUBS
190M+ ROUNDS PLAYED IN 2025
20M+
GLOBAL APP DOWNLOADS
220K NEW GOLFERS CREATED
COMMUNITY & SOCIAL
OFF-COURSE
BEGINNERS
Our Global Business
By connecting the people, organisations, and experiences that make golf extraordinary, we help the entire golf community manage, coach, operate, learn and play with confidence.
GOLF GENIUS POWERS CONNECTIVITY.
EVERY DAY. EVERYWHERE.
NORTH AMERICA
SOUTH AMERICA
UK / EUROPE
MIDDLE EAST / AFRICA JAPAN
SOUTH-EAST ASIA
AUSTRALASIA
GLOBAL APP DOWNLOADS 80+ COUNTRIES 300+ EMPLOYEES 15 LOCATIONS
11,000+ CLIENTS 20M+
Our DNA
WE ARE TRUSTED PARTNERS
We have unwavering commitment to customer success and earn trust through exceptional service. We listen. We respond. We care. We show up when our customers need us most.
WE ARE DIGITAL INNOVATORS
We innovate relentlessly because the game is evolving and the expectations of golfers are rising. We are never satisfied with what exists today when we can create something better tomorrow.
WE ARE COLLABORATIVE LISTENERS
Our team consists of passionate and capable people from golf and technology who seek to understand our customer’s needs and deliver practical solutions to address them.
WE ARE COMMUNITY CONNECTORS
Our technology helps build a more engaged and connected golf community. More engagement leads to more golf and a healthier, more sustainable game.
“
Golf Genius is a key strategic provider to the USGA for both our WHS/GHIN solution and tournament operations for USGA championships. With a deep understanding of both Golf and Technology, Golf Genius has consistently achieved a track record of reliable execution, high quality and ongoing innovation for the USGA.
“
Susan Pikitch Chief Financial Officer, USGA
Our Approach
DELIVERING TAILOR-MADE SOLUTIONS THAT MEET OUR CLIENT’S DIGITAL NEEDS
Combining deep expertise in the game with advanced software, data, and AI, we transform information into intelligent products that help golfers improve, operators succeed, coaches teach more effectively, and organisations serve their communities better.
Artificial Intelligence has become foundational to how modern golf ecosystems operate and Golf Genius has also taken a leading role on the use of AI by strategically integrating the technology across our business to accelerate efforts and drive opportunity for your organisation.
130 COMPUTER SCIENTISTS
10 AI-DRIVEN PRODUCT INITIATIVES
325 NEW FEATURES AND ENHANCEMENTS DELIVERED IN 2025
TM Workspace | AI-Native Development for organisers to deliver golf events in multiple languages from one flexible place.
The French Golf Federation (ffgolf) uses TM Workspace to run its full competition ecosystem — from grassroots Interclub events to national championships — on a single platform. Full French localisation means volunteer event managers work in their own language at every screen, while role-based access keeps each operator focused on the events they manage. The result is a platform that a countrywide volunteer workforce runs confidently, from a single club fixture to a national championship final.
TM Workspace provides ffgolf staff and volunteers with an intuitive, localised experience to deliver grassroots matches and national championships at scale. It has been a true partnership throughout - carefully listening to feedback and working with the ffgolf team to deliver technology that simplifies match management and unifies tournament operations across France.
Adrian Logue Director – Product Management, Golf Genius
WHS Handicapping THE CORE THAT CO ECTS YOUR DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM
The Golf Genius WHS Solution is white-labelled by the USGA to provide the USGA GHIN System, which has become the largest supplier of WHS around the world.
National Governing Bodies that deploy the solution connect their entire digital ecosystem with a highly-scalable, reliable and rich digital asset that drives increased player participation and value across golf’s ecosystem.
Digital Sponsorship
GHIN delivers rich digital real estate with enormous commercial opportunity for national sponsors, 3rd party advertisers and other partners.
Connect New Players
Create and build engaged player communities with annual score ‘wrap-ups’, GPS tools, push notifications and virtual leaderboards.
Virtual Leaderboards
Run virtual challenges inside the app, where players of participating clubs can post scores and view leaderboards.
Measure Participation
GHIN provides the most comprehensive WHS dataset, including player score posting, stat tracking and on-course GPS tools.
3.73M ACTIVE GOLFERS
85M ROUNDS POSTED PER YEAR
32.8M
HOLE-BY-HOLE SCORES PER YEAR
5M
HOLE-BY-HOLE SCORES WITH STATS PER YEAR
Player Apps
REGULARLY CO ECT WITH GOLFERS THROUGH CONSISTENT
DIGITAL TOUCHPOINTS
Our Players Apps are global and connect millions of golfers into this great sport.
Golfers who use mobile apps to track their scores, analyse their shots and review course characteristics play more golf.
Our app portfolio and global audience provides a unique opportunity for the golf ecosystem to connect with this significant audience.
Digital co ects... 1 Beginners
Traditional structures can present barriers to entry for new players, limiting long-term participation growth of beginners and juniors.
Beginner golf is your federation’s primary feeder of participation, helping new people learn and play golf.
Our connected digital ecosystem addresses this challenge by introducing formats that build confidence, connection, and a lifelong relationship with the game.
43.9M JUNIOR GOLFERS GLOBALLY 80% OF JUNIOR GOLFERS PARTICIPATING THROUGH NON-TRADITIONAL FORMATS
Sources: R&A Global Golf Participation Report, 2023/24; National Golf Foundation (NGF)
70% OF BEGINNERS WHO TRY GOLF QUIT THE SPORT
SPOTLIGHT
20+ COUNTRIES
1000+ CLUBS
16,300+ PLAYERS
GolfSixes League is a participation programme that engages thousands of young golfers around the world and enables associations to build a sustainable pipeline of future golfers. Golf Genius provides the digital infrastructure to deliver GolfSixes League at scale across different countries, clubs, and cultures.
Operation 36
THE #1 WAY FOR ALL TO LEARN GOLF
Operation 36 is an ‘out-of-the-box’ development programme that captures and retains beginner golfers through structured pathways.
By connecting coaching, scoring, progress tracking and community, Operation 36 connects beginner play including women and girls, captures vital player data, and unlocks diverse new revenue streams
NEW GOLFERS CREATED GLOBALLY
63% OF NEW GOLFERS
CREATED ARE FEMALE
TOTAL STROKES LOST
Digital Learning
A structured curriculum and mobile app backed by certified coaches to make learning highly engaging.
Grow Beginner Golf
Golfers start 25 yards from the hole and work backward, building immediate confidence and lasting retention.
Increase Participation
Own the relationship and playing data of every new golfer entering your ecosystem.
CSR Sponsorship
Monetise your national participation programme through high impact CSR sponsorships, and a direct revenue share on player programme fees.
Digital co ects... 2 Off-Course
Simulator Golf has become a powerful entry point for new audiences, offering accessibility, flexibility, and engaging formats that remove many of the traditional barriers to participation.
As off-course participation grows, players and sim venues are shifting towards structured forms of engagement such as leagues, indoor handicapping and venue apps.
Off-course golf is currently one of the biggest opportunities to grow participation and commercial revenue.
102M OFF-COURSE GOLF PARTICIPANTS
15,000 ESTIMATED NUMBER OF SIMULATOR VENUES $2.2B CURRENT SIMULATOR MARKET VALUE 8-10% ESTIMATED MARKET GROWTH BY 2030
SPOTLIGHT
Golf Genius and GOLFZON partnered to deliver professional, tour-level competition within a simulator environment. Through structured team-based competition that connects players across venues into a single, shared competitive experience, the GOLFZON Tour demonstrates how Sim Golf connects new players and supports long-term growth in participation.
COUNTRIES
HOST VENUES 1000+
COMPETING PLAYERS
Having Golf Genius in lockstep gives the GOLFZON Tour a huge vote of confidence and ensures we have the highest quality software integrated with every match.
Sean Pyun CEO, GOLFZON US
Simulator Golf
HARDWARE CREATED THE MARKET.
SOFTWARE CO ECTS IT.
Golf Genius provides the connecting platform and tools to integrate off-course golfing formats into your wider national digital ecosystem.
By deploying a white-labelled national indoor app, your organisation can directly connect players to simulator venues, bay bookings and indoor leagues.
IN THE LAST 12 MONTHS:
50K SIM GOLFERS
1,300+ INDOOR LEAGUES
170K+ INDOOR ROUNDS
Embrace Modern Formats
Indoor handicapping and simulator leagues delivered through your national indoor app.
Connect New Players
Meet non-traditional golfers where they choose to play, bridging the gap between offcourse and on-course golf.
Measure Participation
Capture real-time playing data from simulator networks.
Drive Commercial Value
Deliver new revenues from indoor handicap sales, national league sponsorship, digital advertising and player data.
Simulator Handicapping
Our indoor handicapping system delivers true validation and governance of indoor golf, integrating into your national infrastructure to provide off-course golfers with a legitimate path to a verified World Handicap System (WHS) index.
Digital co ects... 3 Community & Social
There are millions of casual and social golfers with a strong interest in the sport, but are not members of a golf club.
Motivated by social interaction, this community of ‘independent’ golfers want structured, low-commitment ways to play, particularly in the afternoons or after work.
With the right formats and digital connections in place, these golfers can drive long-term participation to unprecedented levels.
160M+ GOLFERS NOW ENGAGING WITH THE GAME GLOBALLY
59% OF GOLFERS IN EUROPE ARE NONCLUB-MEMBERS
$100 AVERAGE SPEND OF ONE GOLFER PLAYING IN A SOCIAL LEAGUE
SPOTLIGHT
England Golf, The R&A and Golf Genius piloted a national league programme at golf clubs across England to explore social participation formats for independent golfers.
The 6-week leagues increased participation amongst casual players, confirming the format’s ability to attract new audiences into the game and operate as a scalable national programme.
87% NON-CLUB MEMBERS
41 AVERAGE PLAYER AGE
£1,662 REVENUE GENERATED BY EACH CLUB
National Golf Leagues
DRIVE COMMUNITY PLAY
Twilight Golf Leagues is a turnkey national league programme for organisations to engage casual participation, activate clubs, and innovate player pathways.
Golf Genius provides an end-to-end digital league infrastructure to deliver team-based competition on a national level with local team franchises, league management, player data capture, and commercial activation.
Embrace Modern Formats
Twilight Golf Leagues are fast, social and deliver what the modern casual golfer wants to play.
Drive Social Golf
Replicate the excitement of major sports franchises through team branding, draft nights and regional/ national leaderboards. We support you with team development and marketing.
Measure Participation
Capture casual participation through digital sign-up, league app interaction, admin dashboards, and other digital tools deployed to deliver the leagues.
Attract National Sponsors
Open new revenue streams through league entry fees, team franchise and national league sponsorship, local venue licensing and integrated mobile advertising space.
Digital co ects... 4 Clubs
Golf clubs are core drivers of a nation’s golfing health, with on-course golfers experiencing the game through club competitions, social play, coaching and practice.
Club Members are now using digital tools to consume their golf, with 44% of golfers checking their smartphones every few holes and 58% using golf apps for score posting.
National club networks are the connecting bridge between infrequent social play and repeat participation.
Sources: R&A Global Golf Participation Report 2023/24; National Golf Foundation (NGF)
38,000 GOLF COURSES GLOBALLY
43.3M ON-COURSE GOLFERS GLOBALLY
58% USE GOLF APPS SPECIFICALLY FOR SCORE POSTING
SPOTLIGHT
Stamford Golf Club wanted to develop their membership and attract more women and juniors but needed a proven system for the club to appeal to younger, more diverse audiences.
Head Professional, Mark Smith, implemented Operation 36, the world’s leading golfer development platform. As a result, the club has transformed its junior and ladies strategy and grown its membership bases significantly.
83 NEW JUNIOR GOLFERS
38 NEW GOLFERS ARE FEMALE
£31K NEW REVENUE GENERATED
A year ago, a child turned up on his bike asking to learn golf. I put him through the Op 36 program and today he is Level 6. His dad was so impressed they both gave up football to join our club as full members. Our junior section is now thriving and I credit Op 36 entirely—it is the tool to help grow the game.
Mark Smith Head PGA Professional, Stamford Golf Club
Golf Clubs ACTIVATING
NATIONAL NETWORKS
Modern golf clubs provide golfers with many ways to play.
Organisations can activate club networks with digital solutions that support club member golf and drive player participation. These programmes include many of the initiatives and platforms covered earlier in this playbook.
Club Golfers
18 Holes
Tournament Management simplifies the competition experience, making regular club play more efficient and rewarding for all.
Community & Social Golf
Golf Leagues
9-hole Twilight Golf Leagues attract casual players to clubs, turning quieter weekday tee sheets into regular community play.
Off-Course Golf
Range & Simulator
Your off-course infrastructure can cross over into the club world through indoor leagues, simulator handicapping and mobile club app technology.
Beginner Golf
Short Course
Short courses provide an approachable, lowpressure arena to run Operation 36 beginner programmes which act as a stepping stone towards full-length on-course play.
Other Racquet Sports
Multi-sport booking and tournament software allows clubs to diversify their daily footprint, successfully engaging a broader family and lifestyle demographic.
Club-Level Golf
Pro Shop
Golf Shop connects retail services directly to the golfer journey while boosting member spending.
Off-Course Golf
Adventure Golf
Mini-golf and adventure course leagues bring non-golfers and the next generation of players onto club grounds.
Practice & Improvement
Coaching
CoachNow elevates local professional instruction, moving learners cleanly along the development pipeline into the sport’s on-course ecosystem.
Digital co ects... 5 Practice & Improvement
Golfers invest in coaching, practice and digital learning tools as part of their journey in the sport.
As player development becomes driven by technology, coaching is emerging as one of the strongest drivers of long-term engagement and retention within the sport.
By connecting coaching through your digital ecosystem, organisations become an active partner in a player’s improvement journey toward deep, lifelong commitment to the sport.
SPOTLIGHT
PGA of New Zealand partnered with Golf Genius to deliver a digital platform containing world-class coaching and tournament tools that support professional development, player learning and participation at every level of the game in New Zealand.
“ “
As an association, our responsibility is to provide real value to our members. Golf Genius gives us best-in-class tools that support both tournament delivery and modern coaching — two critical areas for increasing player participation.
Peter Witton Tournament Manager, PGANZ
CoachNow
CO ECTED COACHING BUILDS PLAYER RETENTION
Golfers that play better golf play more golf. By standardising your coaching frameworks, you are investing into the digital infrastructure needed to pull golfers out of isolated practice and guide them directly towards other areas of your digital ecosystem, such as WHS, club networks, and elite tournaments.
AI-Driven Technology
Combines high-speed video suite analysis, AI skeletal tracking, and direct voiceover feedback into a player’s training space.
Connect New Players
Connect with all players interested in coaching through your national coach directories and coaching tools.
Measure Participation
Built to support daily development tracking, helping players improve so they ultimately play more golf.
Coaching Partnerships
Bundle platform access into professional member dues, corporate coaching sponsorships, and revenue share from lesson bookings.
Digital co ects... 6 Elite
National championships, professional tournaments and global tours are powerful mechanisms to inspire the next generation of golfers.
As an investor in Golf Genius, Rory McIlroy is driven by the value of technology in supporting the development of the next generation of elite amateurs and professionals.
Through integrated technology that includes WHS, Tournament Management and Find & Play solutions, your association can connect with current and future stars of the game, whilst driving fan engagement in the process.
.
SPOTLIGHT
Golf NSW and Golf Genius partnered to deliver professional, digitally connected golf tournaments for professionals, elite amateurs and club golfers.
The six-year partnership brings championships to life by creating moments that capture the imagination of golfers across New South Wales.
“ “
Golf Genius has become an essential part of how we operate, and we very much see them as an extension of our team. Their willingness to collaborate, understand our needs, and support us at critical moments has strengthened the partnership far beyond a traditional provider relationship.
Olivia Wilson General Manager - Golf, Golf NSW
Tournament Management
DELIVERING MOMENTS THAT INSPIRE
Digitally connected championships go far beyond efficient tournament operations. They strengthen player aspiration, engagement, visibility, national identity and participation.
11,000 CLIENTS
1.3M EVENTS & LEAGUES IN 2025
41M ROUNDS SCORED IN 2025
3.5M
APP DOWNLOADS
Create Visibility
Live hole-by-hole scoring feed API-driven leaderboards across on-course displays, broadcast coverage, and digital platforms.
Drive Fan Engagement
Fully digital scoring experience, enhancing global fan engagement and delivering a world-class environment for players.
Measure Impact
Full system integrations to track the true impact of your national championships.
Integrate Commercial Value
Full customisation creates an asset rich, whitelabelled solution for sponsor activation.
One Co ected Ecosystem
YOUR ORGANISATION BECOMES THE ENGINE THAT POWERS EVERY PLAYER INTERACTION
The organisations that connect golf digitally will increase participation, strengthen communities and attract more commercial investment.
Golf Genius is the tech partner shaping golf’s future. By connecting the people, organisations, and experiences that make golf extraordinary, we help the entire ecosystem participate, play and perform with confidence.
EMPOWER CLUBS CONNECT GOLFERS
THE FUTURE OF DIGITAL INFRASTRUCTURE
Powering the Game
OUR VISION IS A WORLD WHERE EVERY GOLF EXPERIENCE IS SEAMLESS AND OUTSTANDING. TO ACHIEVE IT, WE ARE BUILDING THE TECHNOLOGY THAT CONNECTS THE ENTIRE GOLF ECOSYSTEM.
Next Steps
PARTICIPATE IN OUR DIGITAL SERIES
PROVIDING INSIGHT INTO THE FUTURE OF THE DIGITAL ECOSYSTEM
In partnership with leading golf organisations, Golf Genius will release a series of reports, insights, workshops, and webinars in the next 12 months. The aim is to guide you on your digital journey through insights and best practices.
National
