Insights agency The Gather Collective has published a new industry report urging golf businesses to rethink where the sport’s most immediate growth opportunities lie.
Titled Generation Next, the report challenges the prevailing narrative that the future of golf depends primarily on attracting Gen Z players. Instead, the study argues that the industry should place greater strategic focus on Millennials and Generation X, who are set to dominate golf’s consumer base over the coming decade.
Produced in collaboration with YouGov Sport, the report is based on research conducted among golfers in the United States. Its findings suggest that while industry discussion has increasingly centred on younger audiences, the most commercially significant demographic shift is already underway among slightly older generations.
According to the research, 53% of golfers in the US are currently aged over 42. As participation among Baby Boomers (those born between 1946-64) and the Silent Generation (1928-1945) gradually declines, Gen X (‘66-‘80) and Millennials (’81-’96) will increasingly become the sport’s core consumers. The report argues that understanding the motivations, behaviours and values of these groups represents a significant opportunity for golf businesses.
Generation Next explores the demographic and cultural characteristics shaping golf’s next major consumer segments, including gender, race, education, economics, political outlook and environmental attitudes. It also examines the competitive landscape for golfers’ time and spending, providing insights into how the sport can position itself more effectively in a crowded leisure market.
The report concludes with a series of practical takeaways aimed at golf brands, operators and industry stakeholders seeking to align their strategies with the realities of the current market.
The Generation Next report is available for purchase at £600, while members of the Gather Collective receive all Gather reports as part of their annual membership programme.
For more details, visit www.gather.golf/insights/generation-next or email Colin Bell at colin@gather.golf