Junior Golf and Alternative Formats Drive Global Participation Boom to 112 Million Players

POSTED ON June 10, 2026 @ 9:54 am

Global golf participation has experienced a significant surge, driven largely by a substantial increase in junior players and the rising popularity of alternative formats.

According to the 2025 R&A Global Participation Report, there are now 112.2 million adults and juniors engaging with golf in all its forms worldwide, excluding the USA and Mexico. This represents a year-on-year increase of 4.2 million golfers, marking a 3% growth since 2024.

The findings align with The R&A’s recently launched five-year global strategy, which aims to open golf to millions more people. Officials state the research underlines the sport’s growing appeal and provides a strong platform for long-term development.

Juniors and Women Lead Growth Demographics

The surge in youth engagement is a primary driver behind the sport’s shifting demographics. The data reveals that 47.1 million juniors are participating in the sport globally, an increase of 3.2 million (6%) in just one year. This growth highlights the importance of younger players in shaping the sport’s long-term future.

Concurrently, female representation is rising steadily. In The R&A’s nine largest markets for adult participation:

Total adult participation is now 34% women, up from 31% in 2024.
For traditional 9 and 18-hole courses, women make up 28% of adult golfers, up from 25%.
For alternative formats, women account for 53% of adult participants, up from 50%.

On a national level, Germany leads female adult participation at 41%, followed by Argentina (36%), Great Britain and Ireland (33%), and Australia (31%). The total number of registered female golfers remained steady year-on-year at 1.6 million.

Regional Breakdown and Traditional Play

While overall adult participation rose by 1 million to reach 65 million players globally (a 1% increase), growth patterns are becoming more differentiated by region. Established markets in Europe continue to provide a strong foundation, while emerging regions are contributing in distinct ways, including notable gains in registered participation in parts of Central and South America.

Adult and Traditional 9 & 18-Hole Participation

Asia remains the leading region for adult golf participation among R&A affiliated territories, housing 26.2 million adult players. Europe follows with 20.6 million adults, and Canada ranks third with 7.1 million adults.

Total traditional 9 and 18-hole golfers (both registered and unregistered) reached 43.9 million globally, a 1% increase from 2024. In the three largest markets, traditional play grew to:

Great Britain and Ireland: 6.1 million (up 5% from 5.8m)
Canada: 5.8 million (up 2% from 5.7m)
Australia: 2.4 million (up 4% from 2.3m)

Total regional 9 and 18-hole participation figures include:

Europe: 14.0 million (up 2% from 13.6m)
Canada: 5.8 million (up 2% from 5.7m)
Oceania: 2.69 million (up 5% from 2.57m)
Africa: 0.74 million (up 3% from 0.72m)
Central & South America: 0.28 million (up 4% from 0.27m)

Registered Golfers

The total number of registered golfers—defined as members of a golf club or those affiliated with their national federation through a direct subscription—grew 2% from 8.4 million to 8.7 million. This reflects a 16% growth in registered players since 2020. There are currently 18,500 golf courses located within R&A affiliated nations worldwide.

Year-on-year growth for registered golfers by region shows:

Central & South America: 146,000 (up 20% from 122,000)
Canada: 593,000 (up 8% from 550,000)
Africa: 329,000 (up 6% from 312,000)
Oceania: 644,000 (up 5% from 615,000)
Europe: 4.9 million (up 3% from 4.7m)

The Rise of Gamification and Off-Course Formats

Off-course golf formats continue to experience strong growth, with 68.3 million adults and juniors engaging in alternative options. Shorter formats, driving range activity, and simulator-based experiences are not only attracting new participants, but are also playing a vital role in keeping the sport relevant in a more time-constrained and experience-led environment.

This shift toward gamification is highly visible in youth demographics. Total junior participation is largest in Europe with 19.9 million golfers, followed by Asia (9.7m), Africa (7.4m), and Central & South America (4.5m). Registered junior numbers are highest in Europe at 780,000, followed by Asia at 220,000.

In Great Britain and Ireland (GB&I), 70% of households with children aged 6–17 reported taking part in some form of golf activity over the past 12 months. Furthermore, 12.5% of these households played golf at a driving range equipped with range technology, highlighting the increasing popularity of tech-driven golf entertainment.

Public Perception of Health Benefits

The report also assessed the general public’s perception of golf’s health and wellbeing impacts in Great Britain and Ireland. Surveying both golfers and non-golfers, the data indicates that golf is seen as delivering real meaningful health benefits to those playing the sport across different formats.

The combined percentage of respondents who “agree” or “strongly agree” with specific health statements include: