How Many People Play Golf in the USA?

By Brendan O'Brien

Golf can be played at most any age, making it a life-long activity enjoyed by millions of Americans. The emergence of Tiger Woods boosted the game's popularity, turning it into a hip pastime for many who never would have considered playing it before.

2009

There were 28.6 million golfers above the age of 6 in the United States, according to study by the National Golf Foundation published in 2009.

Historical Data

According to the National Golf Foundation, there were 28.8 million golfers in the U.S. in 2000, 30 million in 2005 and 29.5 million in 2007.

Decreasing Numbers

The number of golfers from 2007 to 2008 dropped by about 3 percent due to a struggling economy. Most of the decrease can be attributed to those golfers who were playing less or not at all.

Newcomers

The National Golf Foundation found that there were 1.7 million new golfers in 2008 and another 2.3 million started playing again after not playing the year before.

Other Numbers

According to Golf20/20, golfers and golf enthusiasts spent $76 billion dollars on the game in 2008.

About The Author

Brendan O'Brien is a professional journalist in Milwaukee, Wis. He has worked for several news organizations, newspapers such as the "Milwaukee Journal Sentinel" and trade magazines during his 15-year career. He is currently a freelance writer who works for several publications.

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