England Golf has revealed that 2025 was another landmark year for the game across the country, with iGolf and iPlay reaching new heights and more scores than ever before being submitted through the World Handicap System.
A total of 11.83 million scores were submitted through WHS in 2025 – a 16% increase on 2024 and the highest total since the system’s introduction.
Nine-hole golf saw particularly strong growth, with submissions rising 28%, and 18-hole scores increased by 14%. Meanwhile, general play continued its upward trajectory, accounting for 52% of all scores and growing 26% year-on-year.
Following the introduction of four-ball better-ball (4BBB) scores for handicapping purposes in 2024, England saw a 68% increase in acceptable 4BBB scores being submitted in 2025, which shows the education and support provided is having a real impact on the number of acceptable scores being recorded.
England Golf’s sustained focus on growing the women and girls’ game has delivered significant results. Female golfers submitted more than 151,000 additional scores in 2025, representing a 14% increase. Bank Holiday Monday 5 May was the most popular day of the year for female participation, with 13,200 scores entered.
Meanwhile, Saturday 3 May became the busiest day overall for golf in England, with 98,361 scores submitted – including 93,591 from male golfers.
Responding to the figures, Richard Flint, Chief Operating Officer at England Golf, said: “Golf really is thriving in England, and the stats are there to back it up,” said Flint. “Our commitment to inclusivity and accessibility through the Respect in Golf movement is making a real difference. All affiliated clubs and counties have embraced and implemented modern ED&I policies, ensuring the game is welcoming to all.
“The rise in WHS scores also shows the simplicity and popularity of the MyEG app, which enjoyed a record year with more than 500,000 downloads. Education around score entry has clearly improved, and shorter rated tee sets for men and women are helping more people play together on courses that suit their ability.”
Flint also highlighted the growing appeal of shorter formats. “The growth in nine-hole scores – particularly among women, up 24% – shows that golf doesn’t always have to mean 18 holes. If nine holes help people enjoy the physical, mental, and social benefits of the game, that’s fantastic.
“Other factors for the growth would certainly include the fact that we had a dry, hot summer, so therefore more people want to get out on the course, and there’s no doubt the feel-good factor from Rory McIlroy’s grand slam win at The Masters, or Europe’s away win at The Ryder Cup, had an impact on inspiring more people to pick up a club. All of these factors have played a role in driving our core aim of inspiring more golfers, and we hope more will continue to catch the bug in 2026.”
England Golf’s digital participation pathways also saw exceptional growth. iGolf, the platform for independent golfers, now boasts over 72,800 subscribers, with nearly 40,000 new registrations in 2025 – an increase of 33% on 2024 – including a 34% rise in female sign-ups. iPlay, designed to help people new to the game or infrequent players, grew by 61%, surpassing 10,400 registrations.
Claire Hodgson, Head of iGolf and iPlay, said: “The pathway is clearly working. Since launch, more than 2,000 iPlay users have progressed to iGolf, and over 24,000 iGolf subscribers have moved into club membership – including 9,600 in 2025 alone. There is a platform for everyone to begin their golfing journey and progress as far as they wish.”
To explore England Golf’s year in full, view the 2025 Annual Review here.