Golf is continually altering. Because of the USGA’s 2024 Golf Scorecard, we now have an in depth report of what these adjustments appear to be on the leisure degree. The brand new USGA annual report pulls knowledge from 77 million scores posted in 2024 beneath the World Handicap System (WHS). We will pull data from that about traits, participant habits and extra. The insights present how the sport advanced in 2024 and trace at what’s coming in 2025. Listed below are a number of the largest traits to keep watch over.
The nine-holers are taking on
In 2024, nine-hole scores continued to rise, with an virtually 10-percent enhance since 2023 and a 40-percent enhance since 2020. In the event you haven’t already jumped on board with a nine-hole league or twilight occasion, you’ll in all probability see much more alternatives in 2025.
Extra golfers are monitoring scores
Greater than 3.35 million golfers within the U.S. maintained a handicap index in 2024, almost a 30-percent enhance since 2020. You’ll be able to’t enhance your recreation except you measure it and that idea appears to be higher understood by extra beginner golfers. One other beauty of extra scores being posted is that now we have extra knowledge to study in regards to the golf inhabitants as a complete.
New golfers are embracing the nine-hole idea
Ladies who’re new to the sport play greater than half their golf as nine-hole rounds. For males, this quantity is simply over 1 / 4. New gamers are studying the sport in a extra beginner-friendly method and easing their method into the 18-hole idea. Golf programs are encouraging nine-hole participation in a method that pulls new gamers.
Quick programs are having a second
Final 12 months, greater than 350 quick programs turned eligible for official course rankings. In 2024, greater than 180,000 scores had been posted for brief programs.
Whereas these programs could have as soon as been thought-about a follow spot, they now rely in direction of your handicap. Count on extra of those to pop up in 2025.
Match play continues to be not all that in style
Whilst you could take pleasure in a pleasant competitors together with your buddies, most golf continues to be leisure. Almost 95 p.c of the 77 million rounds posted in 2024 had been leisure. Most golfers are on the market to have enjoyable and observe their progress and so they aren’t establishing handicaps simply to play in aggressive rounds.
Golfers in Mississippi are actually good
The typical handicap for all male golfers in 2024 was 14.7 however in some states, the averages had been a lot decrease. Males in Mississippi and Arkansas had a mean handicap index of 10.7.
The nationwide common for girls golfers is 28.7 however, once more, Mississippi got here out on prime, with a mean of twenty-two.7.
22 rounds a 12 months is common
Male golfers posted 24 rounds on common and feminine golfers posted 20. For males, nearly all of these (20) had been 18-hole rounds. In the event you’re planning on enjoying extra golf this 12 months, you’ll should play greater than twice per thirty days to beat what the typical participant is doing.
The brand new GHIN Rewind function is up and operating
A newly redesigned GHIN Rewind is dwell. On the finish of 2024, golfers had been in a position to get a story-style recap of their 2024 season. It contains highlights like common rating, whole rounds, greatest/worst performances, and so on. If you’d like an in-depth take a look at your recreation, GHIN Rewind allows you to see precisely the way you’ve performed.
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Ultimate ideas
As we transfer in direction of the guts of the 2025 golf season, count on to see extra golfers monitoring rounds, plenty of nine-hole play and, doubtlessly, extra short-course and par-3 choices to take pleasure in.
The publish The Greatest Tendencies from USGA’s 2024 Knowledge Report And What To Count on in 2025 appeared first on MyGolfSpy.
