GBR Friday | Inside Japan’s $20 Billion Golf Economy: Why It Remains the World’s Second-Largest Golf Market
Connecting the dots across golf’s business, media, and professional landscape
Hello GBR community,
We have some big numbers to talk about today.
Our first story covers a report that was commissioned by the Wisconsin Golf Alliance, which shows that the golf industry was worth $6.44 billion to the local economy in 2023.
We follow up with another Research And Markets report that indicates the apparel market is projected to grow to $3.8 billion by 2033.
All healthy numbers, I’m sure you’ll agree, but we’ve saved the biggest number to last, which, as you will have seen in the title, is the $20 billion value of the Japanese golf industry.
The second biggest golf market in the world has some interesting stories to tell. A highly competitive local market, but companies from outside of the Land of the Rising Sun are also thriving. We’ll be covering the scope of the Japanese market in our big story for today.
Enjoy the Arnold Palmer Invitational or Puerto Rico Open, whatever takes your interest.
Have a good weekend, and we’ll catch up again next week.
WISCONSIN GOLF INDUSTRY GENERATES $6.44 BILLION IN ECONOMIC IMPACT
A new statewide economic study conducted by Radius Sports Group on behalf of the Wisconsin Golf Alliance has found that golf in Wisconsin generates $6.44 billion in total economic impact in 2023, supporting 56,595 jobs and $2 billion in wages across the state.
The research shows that during 2023, the industry produced $3.37 billion in direct economic activity and $288 million in state and local tax revenues, while golfers played 11.24 million rounds across 528 courses.
Tourism remains a key driver, with 1.8 million golf trips producing $902.7 million in visitor spending. According to the study, golf’s contribution surpasses the combined economic impact of several well-known Wisconsin sectors, including craft beer, wine, local spirits, and Green Bay Packers home games, which together generate nearly $5 billion. “Golf in Wisconsin is one of the state’s most powerful economic engines,” said Wisconsin State Golf Association executive director Rob Jansen.
Wisconsin is widely recognised as a leading golf destination, home to 11 of the top 100 public courses in the United States, including Whistling Straits, Erin Hills, Sand Valley, Mammoth Dunes, and Blackwolf Run.
Environmental stewardship is another significant component, with the state’s courses providing 73,000 acres of green space supporting habitat, stormwater filtration, and air-quality benefits. Radius Sports Group president Gina Rizzi said the findings demonstrate how golf delivers “economic vitality, community connection and responsible land stewardship.”
NORTH AMERICAN GOLF APPAREL MARKET FORECAST TO REACH $3.8 BILLION BY 2033
The North American golf apparel market is projected to grow from $2.65 billion in 2025 to $3.80 billion by 2033, expanding at a 4.63% compound annual growth rate, according to a new market analysis published through ResearchAndMarkets.com.
The report attributes growth to rising golf participation, continued investment in golf facilities, and the influence of athleisure trends that have expanded golf clothing beyond the course. The market spans a wide range of products—including shirts, trousers, skirts, shorts, jackets, gloves and hats—many incorporating performance fabrics designed for moisture management, stretch and UV protection.
Major brands such as Nike, Under Armour, and Adidas are investing in advanced textiles and sustainable materials to meet consumer demand for high-quality, environmentally responsible apparel. The report notes that golf tourism and growing participation across the United States and Canada are also supporting apparel sales, while innovations such as temperature-regulating fabrics and eco-friendly materials continue to shape product development in the sector.
GOLFPASS REVEALS 2026 GOLFERS’ CHOICE LIST OF BEST PUBLIC COURSES BY STATE
GolfPass has released the 2026 Golfers’ Choice rankings of the best public golf courses in each U.S. state, compiled entirely from golfer reviews submitted on GolfPass and GolfNow during the 2025 season.
The consumer-driven lists form part of GolfPass’s annual Golfers’ Choice series, which also includes the Top 50 Public Golf Courses in the United States and Best Warm-Weather Golf Courses, with regional lists scheduled for publication on April 2 and international rankings later in the month. Managing editor Jason Scott Deegan said the rankings are designed to help recreational golfers plan future rounds. “Revealing the ‘best of’ lists for 40 different states of Golfers’ Choice 2026 requires a team effort at GolfPass,” he said. “We’re proud to publish such a valuable resource that local golfers and traveling players can use to determine where to tee it up for their next round.”
Among the courses recognized in the state-by-state rankings are well-known destinations such as Streamsong Black in Florida, Chambers Bay in Washington, Edgewood Tahoe Golf Course in Nevada, and Caledonia Golf & Fish Club in South Carolina, alongside highly rated regional favorites including FarmLinks at Pursell Farms, Monarch Beach Golf Links, and Seven Oaks Golf Club.
Because the rankings rely entirely on reviews submitted by everyday golfers rather than industry panels, the lists reflect the courses that recreational players most enjoy playing across the country, highlighting facilities that deliver strong course conditions, value, and overall playing experience.
NBC SPORTS EXTENDS RYDER CUP U.S. MEDIA RIGHTS THROUGH 2033
The PGA of America has agreed to a two-year extension of its U.S. media rights partnership with NBC Sports and USA Network, ensuring the Ryder Cup will continue to air primarily on NBC platforms through at least the 2033 edition in San Francisco.
The agreement also includes U.S. television rights to the KPMG Women’s PGA Championship, Senior PGA Championship, and PGA Professional Championship. The previous deal, originally signed in 2013, ran through 2030 and had already been extended to 2031 following the postponement of the 2020 Ryder Cup at Whistling Straits to 2021.
Under the current broadcast model, early Ryder Cup coverage airs on USA Network with weekend play shown on NBC and Peacock, while Golf Channel provides studio coverage. The extension comes after Comcast separated several cable networks, including USA Network and Golf Channel, into the publicly traded company Versant earlier this year, with both NBC Sports and Versant expected to negotiate future golf rights independently as other major agreements, including those with The R&A and the PGA Tour, approach expiration later in the decade.
SIR NICK FALDO TO APPEAR AT NGCOA MULTI-COURSE & RESORT OPERATORS RETREAT 2026
The National Golf Course Owners Association (NGCOA) has announced that Nick Faldo will appear as a special guest at the Multi-Course & Resort Operators Retreat 2026 (MCOR26), taking place June 10 in Monterey, California.
Faldo will join NGCOA CEO Jay Karen for a fireside conversation covering his playing career, course design work, and views on the future of the golf industry, before taking questions from the audience of golf course owners and resort operators. “Few individuals have experienced the game from so many vantage points — as a dominant competitor, Ryder Cup stalwart, course designer and global broadcaster,” Karen said, adding that Faldo’s perspective on golf’s evolution would resonate with industry leaders.
The MCOR is an invitation-only gathering for senior executives operating multiple golf courses and resort properties, with dedicated programming for agronomy and financial leaders within the industry.
BODITRAK DEVELOPERS LAUNCH AISENSOR.LIVE GOLF APP FOR PRESSURE MAPPING SYSTEMS
The developers behind the BodiTrak Pressure Mapping System have introduced a new iOS software platform, AiSensor.Live is designed to provide immediate mobile functionality for all BodiTrak systems.
Created by original BodiTrak co-developers Terry Hashimoto and Grant Derksen and completed ahead of the 2026 PGA Show, the app delivers real-time force and pressure mapping analysis directly on Apple devices. Key features include a Center of Pressure (COP) chart, individual vertical force bars, lateral (frontal) speed and heel-to-toe speed charts, and total velocity and vertical force data, with all charts able to be moved, expanded, or made translucent to overlay a golfer’s swing video.
The platform also provides annotation tools, voice-over recording, and save-and-send sharing capabilities, while allowing use across an unlimited number of iOS devices linked to the same Apple email account. In addition, AiSensor.Live is introducing new data ports that convert older non-Wi-Fi BodiTrak units into updated force and pressure-mapping systems, effectively modernizing existing installations.
AT&T NAMED FOUNDING AND CONNECTIVITY PARTNER OF TGL
The partnership is designed to support the league’s technology-driven format by enhancing in-venue connectivity and digital broadcast experiences for fans. AT&T’s involvement will be visible across TGL’s broadcast and digital coverage through features such as Player Connect interviews presented by AT&T, the AT&T Reliable Rewind highlight segment, SmartPin Cam presented by AT&T, and Matchup Live, an interactive digital platform allowing fans to follow matches in real time. “AT&T has supported the game of golf for more than 40 years, and TGL is redefining how fans experience the sport,” said Kellyn Smith Kenny, AT&T’s Chief Marketing & Growth Officer. The company has also helped build the league’s connectivity infrastructure, including:
AT&T Dedicated Internet (ADI), providing high-capacity connectivity at the venue
Venue-wide Wi-Fi for fans and operational systems
Global Video Service fiber links connecting the SoFi Center to broadcast facilities
AT&T Virtual Private Network and NetBond supporting cloud-based data systems
AT&T Phone for Business Advanced, supporting venue communications
Jason Langwell, Chief Revenue Officer at TMRW Sports, said AT&T’s arrival as TGL’s eighth Founding Partner strengthens the league’s technology platform and fan engagement strategy. “Their long-standing commitment to sports and innovation enhances our platform and expands how we connect with TGL’s growing, highly engaged fan base,” he said.
SRIXON RELEASES Q-STAR ULTISPEED WITH TRACKLINE ALIGNMENT SYSTEM
Srixon has introduced the Q-STAR ULTISPEED with TRACKLINE, a new golf ball designed to combine visual alignment aids with distance and greenside control for everyday players.
The model features a two-stamp TRACKLINE alignment system intended to help golfers line up putts more accurately while providing clearer visual spin feedback without altering the traditional appearance of the ball. At its core is Srixon’s FastLayer Core, an 85-compression design that transitions from soft to firm to generate higher ball speeds and increased carry distance while maintaining feel and control.
The ball also incorporates a soft, thin cover to improve spin on short-iron approaches and delicate shots around the green, while the 338 Speed Dimple Pattern is engineered to reduce drag at launch, sustain lift through flight, and maintain stability in windy conditions. “Enhanced alignment-aid golf balls continue to be a popular and growing trend in the market, especially among golf balls designed for everyday players,” said Jake Donahue, Product Management Specialist at Srixon. The Q-STAR ULTISPEED with TRACKLINE will retail for $29.99 and is available in Pure White and Tour Yellow.
Inside Japan’s $20 Billion Golf Economy
For much of the past half-century, Japan has occupied a unique position in the global golf economy. While the United States dominates the sport in both participation and commercial scale, Japan has long functioned as golf’s second economic pillar, an ecosystem built not only on participation but on deep cultural, corporate, and consumer foundations.
Today, the Japanese golf industry is estimated to be worth close to $20 billion, encompassing course operations, equipment sales, apparel, tourism, retail, and related services. The scale of that market is striking, given Japan’s geography and demographics. The country is densely populated, mountainous, and has experienced a declining population for more than a decade.
Yet Japan remains the second-largest golf economy in the world, trailing only the United States.
Understanding why requires looking beyond headline participation figures and examining the underlying structure of the industry. Course supply, corporate ownership traditions, consumer spending habits, and a distinctive culture of practice and equipment customisation all contribute to a market that remains both large and influential.
The Infrastructure Behind The Market
Japan currently has more than 3,000 golf courses, making it the second-largest golf course market globally after the United States.
This scale is largely the legacy of the country’s economic expansion during the 1970s and 1980s, when golf became deeply embedded in Japan’s corporate and social culture.
During that period, real-estate developers and corporate groups financed the construction of hundreds of golf facilities across the country. Golf courses were often built in suburban or rural locations accessible from major cities, and many operated through membership models that combined leisure access with financial investment.
At the height of Japan’s asset bubble in the late 1980s, golf club memberships were sometimes traded like financial securities. Prices at elite clubs rose dramatically as demand from corporations and wealthy individuals increased.
