Outdoor sports hot! The number of golfers in the world reached a new high Asia and Europe saw the largest increase

On December 15, Beijing time, the latest research data disclosed by The R&A and sports marketing survey (SMS) shows that since 2016, golf has gained significant popularity worldwide, with more than 5.5 million new golfers participating.

During this five-year growth period, the total number of golfers worldwide increased from 61 million to 66.6 million, surpassing the all-time high of 61.6 million set in 2012. This metric includes club members, non-member independent golfers who play 9 or 18 holes, and users of driving ranges in areas with limited course supply.

This new statistic reflects a positive trend in golf, where global engagement levels are rising after a period of decline. This was highlighted recently in the 2021 European Golf Engagement Report, which recorded a healthy increase from the last monitored 7.9 million people, with more than 10.6 million golfers currently enjoying full-length golf courses on the continent.

Phil Anderton, chief development officer at The R&A, said: "Golf is in the midst of a real popularity boom and we're seeing a significant increase in engagement in many parts of the world, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic over the past two years when outdoor sports can be done more safely. “

"The new data is very encouraging, but as a sport we need to work together to make the most of this opportunity and bring together the group that is returning to the golf course or trying it for the first time." We can do this by offering a variety of attractive and flexible initiatives that encourage golfers to play more regularly and enjoy the health and well-being that comes with golfing with family and friends. ”

The Sports Marketing Survey collects the number of people involved in golfing reported by national golf associations in different regions of the world, using nationally representative studies and expert estimates to calculate the total number of golfers worldwide.

The largest increases were in Asia (from 20.9 million to 23.3 million), Europe (from 7.9 million to 10.6 million – mainly led by the UK and Ireland from 3.6 million to 5.7 million); and North America (from 29.9 million to 30.6 million).