Australian golfers have continued the steady golf boom.
Competition rounds of golf played annually in Australia have hit 12 million.
The figure of 12,227,604 competition rounds played at golf clubs and facilities around the country by 526,248 golfers in 2023 is up 15.9 percent on the 2022 figure of 10,546,459.
The year-on-year increase is another concrete indicator of the participation boom in golf, and the eagerness of Australians to get out and go play.
And in a great sign for the future of the game the number of competition rounds played by golfers 18 years and under jumped a massive 39% in 12 months.
Golf Australia Head of Clubs and Facilities Matt Chesterman is proud of the number of competition rounds played and is excited by the continual growth.
“This number is the biggest number we can speak to here at Golf Australia, and it is an extremely important one,” he said.
“Not only does it demonstrate that interest and love for golf is still on the rise, but it shows how important golf is to Australians and how committed they are to the game.
“Each year, more and more Australians are beginning their journey in golf, learning the game and progressing through to joining a club and playing competition rounds as well as social golf.
“This continued growth highlights what is being achieved via the Australian Golf Strategy as we seek to have more Australians playing more golf and enjoying all the benefits the game brings.”
New South Wales recorded the biggest jump, with over 4.5 million rounds played by just under 200,000 golfers.
Queensland and Victoria both also recorded significant growth, with Victoria for the first time surpassing the three million mark for competition rounds played.
Tasmania saw a healthy 7% increase from 300,840 to 321,976 competition rounds played, while the Northern Territory, Western Australia, and South Australia saw smaller increases but are still trending in the right direction.
On top of the overall growth, the growth in competition rounds played by junior golfers in 2023 was an extremely positive sign for the future.
“To report a 39% increase in junior competition rounds in 2023 compared to the year before is incredibly exciting,” said Chesterman.
“Golf is a game for life, and it is proving to be a sport that is attractive to Australians of all ages. We are pleased to see more and more golfers beginning their lifelong relationship with the game at a junior level.”
