Golf has lengthy carried a fame as a pastime reserved for the privileged – with the common age of a golfer in many conventional membership settings in the 50s. But many argue the panorama has shifted.
Chris has performed at Enderby Golf Course for about 35 years. He says earlier than Covid-19 the common age of a golfer there was round 60, however is now a lot youthful with many gamers in their 20s or youthful. “The difference in demographic is incredible,” he says.
The course is municipal, that means it’s owned by the native council and open to the common public, whereas personal golf golf equipment are typically members-only and have annual charges. Enderby prices an grownup £12 for a 9 gap spherical on a weekend.
“[The course] is massive for youngsters now,” Chris says. “They can’t really access the private golf courses, because they’re too expensive.” Membership prices differ tremendously – one annual survey of 79 members’ golf equipment throughout ten areas in the UK discovered prices ranged from £200 to £3,870.
But Anderson says that golf is turning into extra welcoming. “The myth that golf is exclusive or inaccessible is not the reality on the ground,” he argues, although he notes boundaries nonetheless exist – together with price and notion.
Total membership at English golf golf equipment rose from 730,602 in 2024 to 750,071 in 2025 – with junior membership rising by greater than 34% in 2025, rising from 46,028 to 61,483. Meanwhile, 20% of grownup golfers on full-length courses in the UK and Ireland have been feminine in 2022 in comparison with 15% in 2019.
Yet this progress occurs at a time when home constructing is falling nicely quick of authorities targets. Ant Breach, director of coverage and analysis at the Centre for Cities suppose tank, says too few houses are being constructed, contributing to “exceptionally expensive” housing.
