Golf Entertainment Venues Set to Double – Green Grass Courses Need to Bridge the Gap
*Editor Note: Aus/NZ tend to follow similar trends as the US, but many years behind in most cases. Here is a great opportunity to get ahead of the curve and improve your business outcomes. Reach out to local off course providers adn work on a partnership to help each other out.
The number of US golf entertainment venues in urban areas is set to double over the next decade, and traditional golf facilities must find ways to connect with this booming sector—or risk being left behind.
That’s the warning from Jay Karen, CEO of the National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA), who shared his insights on Syngenta Golf’s latest Changing the Business of Golf podcast.
“We’ve got millions of people trying golf by hitting into screens,” Karen said. “We’ve got to create connective tissue somehow. We’re at 2,300 facilities right now, and it’s foreseeable that in ten to 15 years’ time it could be double that.”
Karen believes younger generations represent untapped potential, especially in communities without access to public golf courses. He urged the industry to work with local authorities and recreation programs to make golf accessible in schools, parks, and community spaces.
“There are thousands of communities that don’t have golf courses,” he explained. “But they have programming, which is where 90% of parents take their kids. If golf is not found there then we are missing a huge opportunity.”
In the wide-ranging interview with host Gary Firkins, Karen also called on golf businesses to:
- Tell their sustainability story more proactively to build public trust and credibility.
- Engage with local government to strengthen support for the game.
- Protect customer relationships by maintaining control of tee time bookings, payments, and data—rather than ceding ground to third-party digital platforms.
Karen stressed that collaboration across the industry will be essential to safeguard golf’s future, both in the traditional and entertainment spaces.
The full podcast episode featuring Jay Karen is available now on Syngenta Golf’s Changing the Business of Golf.
