Almost half of all adults in the United Kingdom and Ireland engaged with golf in some capacity over the past year, a report commissioned by The Professional Golfers’ Association has found.
The PGA completed a widespread study, in association with Ipsos, called 'Golf for All' in order to better understand more about who plays the game and how it can evolve.
They found that 22.4 million people - equating to 40 per cent of the UK and Ireland - are involved with golf at any level - whether it be playing a full round outside or trundling through an adventure golf course with friends or family.
Almost 5 million people reportedly play golf on a course, while 16.3 million take to the driving range, indoor simulators, or the shortest forms of the game for their golfing fix.
Many people choose to play adventure golf as part of their engagement with the sport
A vast number of surveys were carried out, both online and offline, as The PGA aimed to discover the UK’s relationship with golf and how traditional perceptions of the game could be challenged.
In regard to the research findings, Robert Maxfield - Chief Executive of The PGA - said: “This research has already been an enlightening exercise for us at The PGA. It has confirmed our expectation that golf has changed irrevocably, and that there is huge scope for the golf industry to be more inclusive of different forms of the game and the people who play them.
“The report itself gives us detailed insight and is a ground-breaking look into just how far the game has come, and how big the opportunity is to tap into a huge population of people who are already engaged in golf that we haven’t had sight of in the past. It gives the industry the chance to diversify the sport’s fan base and user base, and that is hugely exciting.”
