NGF (National Golf Foundation)

NGF Short Game: Golf’s State-of-Industry In 3 Minutes

Kevin Frisch February 4, 2026

Golf News

More people are playing more golf in more ways than any time in history. The metrics of our game are getting their own “mic drop” moment.

Momentum across the recreational side of the U.S. golf industry remained broadly positive in 2025, and indicators continue to point to sustainability in both participation and play.

This trajectory, which began even before the pandemic, has now settled into a recalibrated, higher baseline for the game – perspective that’s highlighted in NGF’s newest industry overview. The annual Graffis Report, named after NGF’s founders, is available to current (and new… please join!) members HERE.

Green-grass golf participation surpassed 29 million in 2025 (all-time record is 30.6 million in 2003), marking an eighth consecutive year of growth and a net increase of roughly one million golfers YOY. Over the past eight years, on-course participation has risen by over five million, reinforcing that this is not a short-term COVID bump but a broader, lifestyle-driven shift toward experiences that deliver social connection, time outdoors, and physical, mental and emotional well-being.

There is a renewed appreciation for the holistic benefits of the green-grass game, and tens of millions of Americans now recognize golf’s public health benefit as one of the ultimate wellness activities — combining exercise, stress relief, challenge, self-improvement and community in a uniquely accessible outdoor setting.

Total golf participation (on-course and off-course, using a real club and ball with a full swing) climbed to an all-time high, fueled by both traditional play and the continued expansion of technology-enabled ranges, simulators and entertainment venues. These off-course formats are proving to be powerful entry points that complement, rather than replace, the green-grass game.

NGF members can explore the full set of participation, play, supply, development, equipment and retail trends in our holistic look at the U.S. golf industry and its key performance indicators. The Graffis Report includes a concise one-page “leaderboard” of the game’s vital signs, along with deeper analysis and context.

Among the notable takeaways:

On-course participation at its highest level since the Tiger Woods–aided peak era of the late 1990s and early 2000s, and total participation (on-course and off) is up 50% over the past decade to more than 48M.
National Rounds Played reached another all-time record, the fourth time in five years — achieved with roughly 2,000 fewer facilities than existed during that previous participation peak two decades ago
More than 8 million women and girls now playing on course, an all-time high, and a 46% increase compared to 2019 (pre-COVID)
Record levels of diversity across golf’s participation base, with unprecedented on-course representation among Females (28%) and People of Color (26%)
Roughly two-thirds of ‘green-grass’ beginners enter the game with ‘off-course’ experience
With approximately 15,900 courses at nearly 14,000 facilities, the U.S. maintains its position as the world’s largest golf market
Continued strength in demand and facility utilization support healthier economics and golf course spending on infrastructure and supplies, with nearly 70% of operators rating their financial condition as “good” or “excellent”
Normalization of public pricing power, with average 18-hole fee up roughly 29% since 2019, which is broadly in line with cumulative U.S. inflation

Overall, today’s golf economy is broader, more inclusive and more resilient than at any time in the modern era, supported by a multi-channel ecosystem that introduces millions to the game while reinforcing the central role of the golf course as the industry’s front door.

About

Founded in 1936, the National Golf Foundation is a dynamic membership organization supported and trusted by thousands of golf related businesses and individuals who rely on NGF to provide the most up-to-date, accurate and objective insights on the state of the game and business of golf. It is the only trade association for everyone in the golf business, advocating for growth by educating and connecting its members. NGF is also the leading marketing services provider in golf, leveraging a database of 2.5 million golfers and the industry’s most comprehensive worldwide database of golf facilities. Additionally, NGF’s research arm works with individual companies to help them better understand their markets and grow their businesses. If you’re not among the hundreds of businesses that help support NGF’s ongoing research efforts through membership, we invite you to join the community.

Media Contacts: National Golf Foundation – Erik Matuszewski, Editorial Director email: erikm@ngf.org

Press release by: Kevin Frisch PR

NGF Announces New Board Directors for 2026

Kevin Frisch January 8, 2026

Golf News

Jupiter, Fla. (January 7, 2026) — The National Golf Foundation (NGF) has announced the election of Stephen Donnell and Tom Pashley to its Board of Directors, effective at the start of 2026. The additions further diversify NGF’s board and strengthen the organization’s mission to support the growth and vitality of the golf industry through data, research, and strategic insight.

Donnell has been the President of Yamaha Golf-Car Company since 2022, expanding its presence as a global supplier of golf cars and mobility solutions, and strengthening its reputation for innovation, reliability, and customer service within the golf and resort markets. Donnell has nearly three decades of golf industry experience, with an extensive background in golf operations, club management, and multicourse operations, and is a trusted vendor partner to golf facilities and organizations nationwide.

“I am truly honored to join the NGF Board of Directors, a prestigious group of industry leaders representing a diverse range of segments within the golf industry,” Donnell said. “I look forward to learning from this distinguished group and contributing thoughtfully to advancing the foundation’s mission and long-term impact.”

Pashley serves as President of Pinehurst Resort in North Carolina, where he has played a key role in elevating Pinehurst’s position as one of the game’s most iconic destinations.

“Golf has given me so much professionally and personally, and the NGF has long helped the industry understand the forces shaping the game and its future,” said Pashley. “I’m honored to join the Board and excited to support an organization that provides trusted leadership for the business of golf.”

Pashley has overseen significant developments across the resort’s golf and hospitality operations, including the opening of The Cradle short course, the buildout of Pinehurst’s new Sandmines property, and the partnership with the USGA that positioned Pinehurst as the first anchor site for future U.S. Open Championships.

“We’re delighted to welcome Stephen and Tom to the NGF Board,” said Greg Nathan, NGF President & Chief Executive Officer. “Both bring deep experience, proven leadership, and a clear passion for the game and business of golf. Their perspectives will help us continue to serve the industry with integrity, insight, and innovation.”

As the only organization in the game that works with the leading businesses in every sector, the NGF board is designed to be representative of the industry. In addition to Nathan, the NGF’s Board of Directors also includes GOLFTEC President & CEO Joe Assell, NGF Executive Chairman Joe Beditz, AHEAD CEO Anne Broholm, TORO President & COO Edric Funk, TMRW Sports founder & CEO Mike McCarley, Troon President & CEO Tim Schantz, and PING President & CEO John K. Solheim.

Former Topgolf executive Geoff Cottrill and LPGA Commissioner Craig Kessler departed the NGF Board at the end of 2025 after several years of service and valued contributions to the organization.

About the NGF

Founded in 1936, the National Golf Foundation is a dynamic membership organization supported and trusted by thousands of golf related businesses and individuals who rely on NGF to provide the most up-to-date, accurate and objective insights on the state of the game and business of golf. It is the only trade association for everyone in the golf business, advocating for growth by educating and connecting its members. NGF is also the leading marketing services provider in golf, leveraging a database of 3 million golfers and the industry’s most comprehensive worldwide database of golf facilities. Additionally, NGF’s research arm works with individual companies to help them better understand their markets and grow their businesses. If you’re not among the hundreds of businesses that help support NGF’s ongoing research efforts through membership, we invite you to join the community.

Visit https://www.ngf.org.

Media Contacts: National Golf Foundation – Erik Matuszewski, Editorial Director email: erikm@ngf.org

Press release by: Kevin Frisch, Kevin Frisch PR

Savvy Business and a Local Approach Has Made Golf Lounge 18 an Indoor Golf Powerhouse

Marc Hall September 25, 2025

Golf News

When Ajit Padda decided to branch out from his 23-year career in investment banking, he wasn’t exactly setting out to reorient a community’s relationship with the sport of golf. Honestly, he was just looking for a place to hit balls with his friends. His Trackman simulator didn’t quite fit into his new house, so he and a partner leased space near a train station in Fairfield, Connecticut, opened the doors in 2018, and called it Golf Lounge 18.

Seven years later, Padda and growing team oversee 10 thriving locations across the Northeast, with three more under construction and a freshly minted franchise model gaining traction. What began as a side project has become one of the most thriving indoor golf businesses in the northeastern United States — at a moment when indoor golf is exploding.

“Back then, you had to convince people indoor golf was real,” Padda says. “Today, people really embrace the concept. They’ve tried it, they understand it, and many actually prefer it because so few of us have six hours anymore to play a full round of golf. People today love an in-and-out fun experience that still feels like real golf.”

Riding the Indoor Golf Boom
The numbers back him up. According to the National Golf Foundation (NGF), 2024 marked the first year that indoor rounds outpaced outdoor rounds in the U.S. Industry revenue, pegged at $1.3 billion in 2020, is projected to top $3.2 billion by 2030 with 8.14 million participants playing golf indoors.

Timing has been on Golf Lounge 18’s side. The NGF further reports that simulator and screen usership has grown 126 percent since 2019 and the already-thriving golf entertainment space grew by another 78 percent in that same time period.

COVID accelerated the trend, but Padda points out that lifestyle changes are the real driver. Leagues that start at 8 p.m. and run past 11, kids’ clinics after school, retirees in weekday “early bird” slots indoor golf simply fits modern schedules.

“Our core customer is between 35 and 50, younger than your local country club membership’s average age,” Padda says. “That was never the green-grass golf demographic. But here, it works because we have a little something for everyone. Guys finish dinner, put the kids to bed, and then come play league night with their buddies. It’s a new rhythm for the game.”

A Different Kind of Clubhouse
Golf Lounge 18 leans heavily on the “clubhouse” concept — a more elevated, cozy feel and aesthetic than a warehouse simulator joint, more accessible than a country club.

Padda knew early that balance was critical. “You have to fight the temptation to just build this like your dream basement and think it will click with all of your clientele,” he says. “It’s a business. And if you don’t run it with discipline—payroll ratios, rent ratios, ROI targets — you run the risk that you won’t last.”

Plenty haven’t. Indoor golf is capital-intensive, and Padda has watched poorly planned competitors flame out. Golf Lounge 18’s formula is a hybrid: upscale but approachable, tech-driven but social.

Food and beverage offerings (which now consist of a simple elevated pub menu that varies based on local tastes and preferences), for instance, was a bit of a reluctant addition. “Early on, if I had my choice, I wouldn’t touch food,” he admits. “It’s another welcoming touch that makes people stay a little longer and enjoy themselves more. Now they stay two and a half hours, order a fresh grill item, and the experience is complete. It’s not overly fancy, but it makes the experience richer.”

NGF data suggests offering an attractive food and beverage menu can potentially boost the average customer’s spend per visit by about 73 percent.

Golf Lounge 18’s programming evolved organically. Leagues dominate specific nights. Kids’ camps are blocked after school. No lessons during peak weekend hours when beers are flowing and families gather. “It’s about knowing who’s in the building and when,” says Padda. “You just don’t mix kids’ clinics with bachelor parties.”

A Tech Business Disguised as a Fun Business
If the clubhouse vibe drives retention, technology fuels consistency. With a background in tech, Padda’s team built a proprietary in-house operations system that links all ten locations.

“We have 110-plus Trackman bays, and every system is interconnected,” he says. “A member in Boston can play league night with his partner in Connecticut in real time. Our employees can move between locations seamlessly because everything — from TVs to music to booking systems — runs the same way.”

This backbone allowed Golf Lounge 18 to scale without losing its personalized, local touch. Each site feels familiar but incorporates regional quirks: Boston locations serve local craft beer, New York spots add Yankees-themed murals, menus shift by market. If roughly 70 percent of the design is templated and built off of a ‘best practices’ model, the other 30 percent thrives on local flavor.

A Strategic Partner: The Indoor Golf Shop
Critical to that rollout has been Golf Lounge 18’s partnership with The Indoor Golf Shop (ShopIndoorGolf.com), one of the industry’s leading suppliers and manufacturers of indoor golf equipment, providing comprehensive design and installation expertise.

Padda initially worked with multiple vendors but says meeting Indoor Golf Shop founder Rene Delgado changed everything. “It felt different,” he recalls. “His team loves what they do. They’re passionate, they’re on the ground, sleeves rolled up. It wasn’t just a transaction — it was collaborative.”

That alignment mirrored Padda’s own values. “Success has to be mutual,” he says. “With other vendors, it felt one-sided. With The Indoor Golf Shop, it feels like home.”

Together, Golf Lounge 18 has become one of the largest Trackman customers in the world. Each new location benefits from the standardized systems and seamless installation expertisethat The Indoor Golf Shop brings. “They help us scale without compromising the customer experience,” Padda notes.

Disciplined Growth in a Hot Market
The temptation, of course, is to sprint. With demand surging, investors circling, and competitors ever-present, Golf Lounge 18 could easily chase rapid expansion. Padda resists.

“In my view, growing too fast is a recipe for disaster,” he says. “But going too slow is a problem too. Striking that balance is hard.”

Since 2018, Golf Lounge 18 has averaged just over one new location per year. All are 100 percent equity-owned by Padda and his partner — no outside capital. “We’re still walking before we run,” he says. “I believe in that.”

That said, the next 24 months will mark a shift. With franchising legalized six months ago, Golf Lounge 18 expects to double its footprint by supporting franchisees alongside corporate locations.

“We’re built to support it,” Padda says. “Our corporate locations already operate like franchisees, paying into a central system for marketing, ops, and tech. The goal now is to share what we’ve learned with others and help them succeed.”

The Road Ahead
Looking forward, Padda sees opportunity — and inevitable shakeout. He predicts consolidation as the industry matures, with weaker players exiting and stronger brands scaling. But he insists indoor golf, even with room to grow, isn’t ready for faceless corporate management just yet.

“This industry still needs local engagement,” he says. “You can’t run it entirely from a corporate level. Somebody has to be on the floor, knowing the customers, running the leagues. That’s what keeps it sticky.”

And for Padda personally? The inspiration comes less from numbers and more from the clubhouse culture he’s helping foster. “At the end of the day, it’s about building community,” he says. “It’s about giving people who love golf — or who just want to try it — a place to belong. If we can keep doing that, and do it well, the business will take care of itself.”

Press release by: Kevin Frisch PR

National Golf Foundation Partners with KONETiQ

Kevin Frisch June 24, 2025

Golf News

National Golf Foundation Partners with KONETiQ, Transforming Golf Marketing Capabilities

JUPITER, FL – The National Golf Foundation (NGF), the industry’s leading authority on golf research, data, and consumer insights, has announced a strategic partnership with KONETiQ, a leader in digital marketing innovation known for its data-driven and precision-targeted marketing solutions.

This landmark collaboration aims to enhance golf marketing capabilities by merging the NGF’s unmatched golfer data and behavior insights with KONETiQ’s direct-access media expertise. The result is an unprecedented ability to deliver custom-built, hyper-targeted campaigns across all digital media platforms, empowering golf brands and businesses to maximize engagement and ROI.

“This partnership takes NGF’s existing best-in-class marketing services and unlocks unprecedented digital ad targeting for golf companies. KONETiQ will leverage NGF’s proprietary consumer and facility databases across a gamut of marketing platforms,” said Greg Nathan, President and CEO of the National Golf Foundation. “This partnership further positions NGF as golf’s data-driven marketing leader, now supplemented with the media buying power, expertise and custom audience capabilities that KONETiQ brings to the table.”

According to the NGF, 47 million golfers represent a high-income, high-spending demographic, making them an attractive target for various industries beyond golf, including automotive, financial services, luxury brands and travel destinations. Reaching a perfectly targeted segment of the golf population is a key to marketing success.

“The National Golf Foundation brings unmatched depth to its golf industry research — the organization understands everyone who steps foot on a golf course in the U.S. or participates in the game in other ways,” said Josh Goodin, Managing Director of KONETiQ. “We specialize in direct media buying, with access to platforms like Netflix, Spotify, Disney, Hulu, and more — no middlemen. By combining NGF’s audience insights with our ability to target them precisely, we’re enabling golf brands to reach exactly the right people. That means we can integrate data about golf with the ability to buy media. So, for example, do you want to reach female golfers older than 25, who live in America’s top 25 DMAs, have a household income of more than $150,000, and have been shopping for clubs in the last 60 days? That’s what we’re bringing to the data.”

The partnership began through a joint initiative supporting the “Make Golf Your Thing” campaign led by golf’s governing bodies (including the PGA TOUR, PGA of America and United States Golf Association), which focused on engaging underrepresented demographic cohorts and encouraging people to experience the game at grassroots golf facilities. By utilizing custom audience segments based on real-world behavior, KONETiQ and NGF successfully reached nearly 3 million minority non-golfers in just six months. These efforts resulted in 250,000+ unique course visits, a notable success story in expanding the sport’s inclusivity.

In another campaign with a popular State Tourism Bureau, the duo created and executed high-impact campaigns targeting affluent and travel-prone golf consumers. With custom segments such as “Resort Travelers” and “Trophy Course Players,” these campaigns generated click-through rates nearly 3X the industry standard.

KONETiQ’s direct-buying access across various platforms allows for campaign execution without third-party intermediaries, ensuring a higher media value and unmatched efficiency. The agency is one of the few in the U.S. with direct access to Amazon’s media inventory, setting it apart in the crowded marketing space.

“This partnership eliminates wasteful marketing by delivering exact matches to client goals,” explained Goodin. “Golfers are valuable sports consumers but also high-value targets across sectors like travel, tourism, and home improvement, making this partnership a game-changer for brands seeking ROI-rich engagement.”

This partnership also benefits small and medium-sized golf businesses, which can now access marketing capabilities typically reserved for the largest advertisers and those with the most extensive budgets. Meanwhile, larger companies can access better audience data that’s not available through their typical partnerships or third-party data providers. All companies will benefit from more competitive rates, given the large volume of media KONETiQ buys annually.

“Our long-term vision is to elevate the standard of marketing performance across the golf industry,” said Nathan. “Putting your message in front of the perfect audience is data-science in today’s world. By making NGF’s data-enabled custom audiences accessible to companies of all sizes via KONETiQ, we aim to empower smarter decision-making, greater efficiency, and measurably higher returns on marketing spend.”

With both organizations deeply rooted in their respective areas of expertise, the NGF-KONETiQ alliance marks a new era in golf marketing—one that is data-enriched, digitally sophisticated, and deeply inclusive.

About KONETiQ

KONETiQ is a major player in the media purchasing arena, offering services across every relevant digital channel. With deep expertise in how advertising mediums contribute to business success, KONETiQ delivers performance that exceeds expectations. Their unique value lies in specialization, audience-based marketing, direct seats on Demand-Side Platforms (DSPs), integration of client-based data, actionable insights, and a comprehensive media strategy that includes search optimization, social media, streaming video and audio, and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) methods. KONETiQ has successfully partnered with a wide variety of companies, from startups to Fortune 500-level organizations, including Pella, JobsOhio, South Carolina Department of Tourism, The Center for Internet Security (CIS), and many more. For more information about KONETiQ, visit www.KONETiQ.com.

About NGF

Founded in 1936, the National Golf Foundation is a dynamic membership organization supported and trusted by thousands of golf related businesses and individuals who rely on NGF to provide the most up-to-date, accurate and objective insights on the state of the game and business of golf. It is the only trade association for everyone in the golf business, advocating for growth by educating and connecting its members. NGF is also the leading marketing services provider in golf, leveraging a database of 2.5 million golfers and the definitive comprehensive worldwide database of golf facilities. Additionally, NGF’s research team works with individual companies to help them better understand their markets and grow their businesses. If you’re not among the hundreds of businesses that help support NGF’s ongoing research efforts through membership, we invite you to join the community.

Press release by: Kevin Frisch PR