Number of registered golf players in Europe 1990-2018
In the past 20 years, golf has been gaining popularity in Europe. In 1990, there were 1.71 million registered golfers in Europe, whereas in 2018, there were approximately 4.11 million registered golfers. Golf participation peaked in 2010, when 4.44 million people were registered.
The rise in golf popularity was accompanied with a rise in the number of golf courses in Europe
Between 1985 and 2014, the number of official golf courses increased from approximately three thousand to seven thousand, after which it experienced a slight decline. As of 2017, England is the leader with 1.87 thousand official golf courses followed by Germany and France with respectively 731 and 602 registered golf courses.
Spain and Portugal most popular non-domestic golfing holiday destinations for golfers from Great Britain and Ireland.
Approximately one third of the golfers in Ireland and Great Britain, who play at least ten times a year, went on a golfing holiday in Spain in 2017. Second and third in popularity as non-domestic golfing destinations were Portugal and Ireland.
The rise in golf popularity was accompanied with a rise in the number of golf courses in Europe
Between 1985 and 2014, the number of official golf courses increased from approximately three thousand to seven thousand, after which it experienced a slight decline. As of 2017, England is the leader with 1.87 thousand official golf courses followed by Germany and France with respectively 731 and 602 registered golf courses.
Spain and Portugal most popular non-domestic golfing holiday destinations for golfers from Great Britain and Ireland.
Approximately one third of the golfers in Ireland and Great Britain, who play at least ten times a year, went on a golfing holiday in Spain in 2017. Second and third in popularity as non-domestic golfing destinations were Portugal and Ireland.
