Golf is a sport that is gaining popularity worldwide, with more people taking an interest in the game since the emergence of COVID-19 than in the years prior. As the sport continues to expand in popularity, one may wonder about the number of golf courses worldwide. In this article, let’s discover the distribution of golf courses around the world and which country has the most golf courses.
How Many Golf Courses in the World?
According to the R&A’s “Golf Around The World” report published in 2021, there are 38,081 golf courses across 206 countries and dependent territories. However, the majority of golf courses, 80%, are located in the top 10 golfing nations, including the United States, United Kingdom, Japan, Canada, France, Sweden, Germany, Australia, South Korea, and China.
Which Country Has the Most Courses?
There are about 16,000 golf courses in the United States, making it the country with the most golf courses in the world. The majority of golf courses are located in the western hemisphere. In spite of this, the United States has a low course density, with only 0.004 courses per square mile. This indicates that courses are dispersed across the country.
On the other hand, due to its course density of 0.033 per square mile, the United Kingdom is the nation that puts the most emphasis on golf among the top 10 countries. The United Kingdom is home to 2,213 golf courses that are dispersed across 50,346 square miles, which is equivalent to one course for every 22.8 square mi.
It is interesting to note that Japan is the only country in the top five that does not speak English. Japan has the second-highest number of golf courses in the world and is the only country in the top five that follows the English language.
We have compiled a list of the twenty countries that are home to the greatest number of golf courses in the world:
Rank | Country | Number of golf courses |
1 | USA | 16,156 |
2 | Japan | 3,140 |
3 | Uk | 3,101 |
4 | Canada | 2,564 |
5 | Australia | 1,584 |
6 | Germany | 1,054 |
7 | France | 811 |
8 | The Republic of Korea | 810 |
9 | Sweden | 650 |
10 | China | 617 |
11 | Spain | 493 |
12 | South Africa | 477 |
13 | New Zealand | 416 |
14 | Ireland | 365 |
15 | Netherlands | 350 |
16 | Argentina | 348 |
17 | Denmark | 347 |
18 | Thailand | 317 |
19 | Italy | 312 |
20 | India | 298 |
Which Country is the Most Golf-Centric?
The density of golf courses in a country relative to its total land area is a significant measure, and in this regard, the United Kingdom emerges as the clear winner.
To put that into perspective, England has a golf course for every 22.8 square miles, Wales has one for every 43.5 square miles, Northern Ireland has one for every 48.3 square miles, and Scotland has one for every 50.6 square miles. Surprisingly, the United States of America, despite its enormous landmass, has a significantly lower density, with one golf course positioned every 235 square miles. This is comparable to the landmass of Australia, which has a course located every 1,875 square miles.
In spite of its relatively small area, Japan is one of the countries that places a significant emphasis on golf. The country has a course density of one every 46.5 square miles, making it the second most densely populated country in the world, behind only England.
How Many Golfers Are There Around the World?
It is estimated that there are 66.6 million golf players in the world in 2021, according to the most recent statistics provided by the R&A and the Sports Marketing Survey. This represents a growth of 5.5 million players over the course of the next five years (from 2016 to 2021). The number of people who play golf in Asia increased by 11.4% over the course of this time period, going from 20.9 million in 2016 to 23.3 million in 2021. This is a substantial improvement for the sport in the region.