GBR Weekly | What Summer 2025 Revealed About the State of U.S. Golf
Connecting the dots across golf’s business, media, and professional landscape.
Good morning, GBR community,
For golf and the golf industry, Christmas can sometimes feel like it comes in January when the PGA Show rolls into Orlando, Florida, for its annual staging.
The size of the show reflects the health of golf at the moment, and next month’s event from January 20th to 23rd looks to keep the trend going.
This week, news of an expanded The Range will offer more teaching and fitting opportunities, along with an enlarged putting green.
The Range is also certain to increase the networking opportunities, which play a key role in the PGA Show, as planning for the year ahead forms an integral part of the show’s success and popularity.
V1 Sports will be at the PGA Show, and they have announced this week a new coaching facility within their software to provide more online coaching for pros.
Our big read this week takes a look at the number of golf rounds played in the U.S. over the summer months and analyzes how this year stacks up against last year. Is golf still on an upward curve, or is demand slowing down for the first time since the Coronavirus pandemic? Find out below.
Christmas week is nearly upon us. I do intend to post a newsletter in the early part of next week, so look out for what is likely to be a shorter GBR hitting your mailboxes next Tuesday.
In the meantime, enjoy today’s newsletter and your weekend.
PGA SHOW 2026 TO DEBUT EXPANDED ‘THE RANGE’ EXPERIENCE
Next month’s PGA Show will debut The Range, a fully reimagined testing and demonstration destination designed to deliver a premium, hands-on experience for PGA of America Golf Professionals, buyers, coaches, and industry leaders.
Formerly the Equipment Test Center, The Range now features full-swing and short-game testing, 45 full-swing hitting bays, a 4,250-square-foot putting green, interactive contests and immersive technology experiences, with integrated testing across clubs, balls, shafts, grips, simulators and turf solutions. New for 2026 is the Range Performance Center, a 600-square-foot education and demonstration space with two hitting bays powered by Inrange technology, offering curated sessions on coaching, player development, sponsored demonstrations, and best practices in range operations and facility optimization.
The Golf Channel Show Floor Studio will anchor The Range, broadcasting Golf Today live each day overlooking the putting green, reinforcing the area as a central hub for testing and networking. If you are a PGA member and are interested in attending the PGA Show, you’ll find registration details here.
V1 SPORTS LAUNCHES PAID ONLINE COACHING MODEL FOR GOLF INSTRUCTORS
V1 Sports has launched V1 PAIRED, a first-of-its-kind online coaching programme that guarantees payment to golf professionals for every lesson completed, creating a no-risk earnings model for instructors and removing traditional pay-to-play barriers.
Available exclusively to active V1 COACH customers at no additional cost, the programme routes all online lesson requests from the V1 GOLF App directly to approved V1 PAIRED instructors, with V1 managing the process end to end. Despite launching during the winter off-season, V1 reports more than 100 serious golfers per week already requesting online coaching, with projected instructor payouts expected to reach five figures per month based on current demand. “V1 PAIRED flips the traditional industry script,” said Alex Prasad, CEO of V1 Sports, adding that the programme guarantees compensation, delivers a steady flow of motivated golfers, and removes the need for instructors to purchase leads or build an online following.
V1 is selectively recruiting top-tier coaches who demonstrate strong video analysis and communication, with Prasad noting: “Golfers get high-quality feedback from elite instructors, and pros receive guaranteed pay for their expertise.” If you are a PGA-qualified coach and want to learn more about V1 PAIRED, you can email paired@v1sports.com. More details can also be found here.
PGA EXTENDS ANTALYA GOLF CLUB PARTNERSHIP THROUGH 2035
The PGA of Great Britain and Ireland has renewed its long-standing partnership with Antalya Golf Club, extending its designation as a PGA Branded Property and the exclusive PGA National Türkiye through 31 December 2035.
Home to the David Jones–designed PGA Sultan and The Pasha courses, the Belek venue is supported by extensive short-game facilities, direct access to the Sirene Belek Hotel and Kempinski Hotel The Dome Belek, and the forthcoming PGA National Golf Academy Türkiye, set to open in January 2026. The academy will integrate technical coaching, performance analysis, personalised club fitting, and golf-specific physical conditioning, anchored by a 150 m² indoor performance studio featuring Zen Golf Green Stage and Swing Stage systems, alongside a 20 m² TechnoGym-equipped fitness zone; the club has also become Titleist’s official distributor in Türkiye.
Antalya Golf Club has previously hosted DP World Tour events, including the Turkish Airlines World Golf Final in 2012, featuring Tiger Woods, Justin Rose, and Rory McIlroy. The Turkish Airlines Open was the first DP World Tour victory for the now five-time major champion, Brooks Koepka, and more recently, the 3rd European PGA Alliance Congress and Championship, with provisions in the new agreement to stage a future PGA Partners’ event. “We are pleased to continue our relationship with Antalya Golf Club as PGA National Türkiye – a venue that has consistently demonstrated the standards we look for in a PGA Branded Property,” said Richard Barker, PGA, Executive Director – Business Development. More details of the renewed partnership between the PGA and Antalya Golf Club, Turkey, can be found here.
INDOOR GOLF ALLIANCE UNVEILS INDUSTRY-WIDE BOARD OF ADVISORS
The Indoor Golf Alliance (IGA) has announced the formation of a Board of Advisors made up of senior executives, operators, and technology leaders from across the indoor golf ecosystem, tasked with helping shape the future direction of the fast-growing sector.
The group includes Chris Koske (GOLFTEC), Ryan Wines (Golf Envy), Justin Carlson (Indoor Golf Shop), Trevor Faust (Ace Indoor Golf), George Hansen (Golf Genius), Sameer Gupta (Evenplay), Cathy Harbin (NGCOA), Chris Cain (UNLV) and Jill Walsh (Toptracer), bringing together expertise spanning operations, technology, education, retail and governance.
The advisory board will provide strategic guidance to the IGA, represent the full indoor golf ecosystem, advise on industry standards and best practices, support education, research, and innovation, strengthen industry connections, assist with events and programming, promote the IGA’s mission, identify opportunities and risks, provide feedback on new initiatives, and support membership growth. The IGA said it welcomes ongoing input from companies across the indoor golf industry as it works to best serve facilities, suppliers, investors, and entrepreneurs entering the market. To find out more about the IGA, click here.
TAKOMO ACQUIRES FINNISH PUTTER BRAND OTSO
Takomo Golf has completed the acquisition of Otso Golf Ltd., securing the Finnish company’s proprietary low-torque putter designs, technology, and operations as it prepares to expand its product range globally.
Founded in Finland, Otso Golf is best known for its minimalist D1 putter, which has built a loyal Nordic following for its clean design and low-torque performance, and the deal will see Otso’s technology integrated into Takomo’s existing international offering. “This acquisition represents a natural evolution of our mission to provide technologically advanced, beautifully designed equipment that golfers can actually afford,” said Takomo CEO Sebastian Haapahovi, adding that the move allows the company to deliver Finnish craftsmanship and sought-after low-torque technology at accessible price points.
Otso CEO Miikka Farin said joining Takomo provides the scale needed to reach global markets, noting that Takomo’s reach will put Otso putters “in the hands of tens of thousands of golfers.” Farin, an industrial designer, will join Takomo as Senior Product Designer, with the combined team planning to launch a multi-model line of low-torque putters worldwide in 2026, aligning Takomo with a broader industry shift toward low- and zero-torque designs while maintaining a focus on minimalist aesthetics and value pricing. Further details of Takomo’s purchase of fellow Finnish company, Otso Golf, can be found here.
TRUE SPEC GOLF OPENS HOUSTON FITTING HUB AT INTOWN GOLF CLUB
True Spec Golf has partnered with Intown Golf Club, a members-only social golf club in Uptown Houston, to launch its first Texas-based fitting location, bringing tour-level club fitting into a private, urban setting.
The new True Spec Houston facility features an indoor fitting bay powered by TrackMan launch monitor technology and access to True Spec’s matrix of more than 70,000 clubhead and shaft combinations, with all clubs custom-built to specification at the company’s headquarters in Scottsdale, Arizona.
“Houston is a big city, and it can sometimes be hard to find a private, bespoke environment where golfers can get the equipment and service they need,” said Scott Anderson, President of True Spec Golf, adding that the Intown partnership delivers a “world-class, super-convenient” fitting experience. Michael Williamson, Co-Founder and CEO of Intown Golf Club, said the response has been strong, noting Houston’s deep golf culture and adding: “Partnering with True Spec to offer tour-level fittings is just another way for Intown Golf Club to serve a population who loves golf as much as we do.” Further details of the new True Spec facility at Intown Golf Club, Houston, can be found in the press release issued this week.
NORTH BERWICK ADOPTS DIGITAL PLATFORM TO CENTRALIZE COURSE DATA AND STAKEHOLDER COMMUNICATION
North Berwick Golf Club has expanded its digital approach to course management by adopting Clere Golf’s golfHUB platform as a central repository for technical data, surveys, and project documentation, with Course Manager Kyle Cruickshank leading one of the most detailed implementations of the system in the UK.
Originally used primarily for winter planning, the platform now houses a wide range of material at the historic links, including irrigation as-laid drawings, coastal erosion risk assessments, annual aerial surveys for year-on-year comparison, and detailed records of winter works such as bunker rebuilds and revetting projects.
The move has improved access to historical information and strengthened continuity in decision-making, while also supporting clearer communication with committees and management through visual project summaries and updates.
“Having all our course-related data in one place allows us to make clearer decisions, respond faster, and present information confidently to stakeholders,” Cruickshank said, noting the value of comparing long-term surveys on a course shaped by natural forces. North Berwick’s approach reflects a broader shift within the golf industry toward data-driven course management and more transparent communication structures. Clere Golf’s software for golf clubs can be viewed here.
CADILLAC RETURNS TO PGA TOUR AS TITLE SPONSOR
The PGA Tour has announced Cadillac as the title sponsor of the Cadillac Championship, the new Signature Event to be staged at Trump National Doral’s Blue Monster from April 27 to May 3, 2026, under a multi-year agreement.
“We are pleased to welcome back Cadillac, a world-class brand whose partnership with the PGA Tour is synonymous with Trump National Doral,” said PGA Tour CEO Brian Rolapp, while Cadillac global vice president John Roth said the championship “builds on our legacy with the PGA Tour while connecting with luxury customers through culturally significant events.”
The return marks the 56th PGA Tour event at Doral, which hosted the tour annually from 1962 to 2016 and previously staged the WGC-Cadillac Championship from 2011–2016. Fourteen World Golf Hall of Famers have claimed 24 victories on the Blue Monster, including Tiger Woods, a four-time winner at the venue. PGA Tour.
DP WORLD TOUR EXTENDS PARTNERSHIP WITH FORTINET TO 2028
The DP World Tour has agreed a multi-year extension of its partnership with Fortinet, confirming the global cybersecurity firm will continue as Official Cybersecurity Partner through 2028, supporting one of sport’s most complex digital environments across a 42-event schedule in 25 countries.
Fortinet has worked with the Tour since 2022, protecting data across tournaments that can host up to 30,000 people per day within a large-scale “bring your own device” ecosystem, using the Fortinet Security Fabric platform of integrated, automated security solutions powered by advanced threat intelligence.
The renewed agreement expands protection for remote and mobile users through FortiSASE, which combines AI-driven insights with end-to-end digital experience monitoring as part of a Unified SASE approach, while the next phase of the partnership will introduce Fortinet’s Security Operations (SecOps) platform to strengthen threat detection, automation, and GenAI-powered incident response as the Tour continues its digital transformation. DP World Tour.
Reading the Summer: What 2025’s Peak Season Tells Us About U.S. Golf
There is no mystery about why summer still matters in golf. It is when volume peaks, costs are fully loaded, and margins are tested. That makes June through August less about momentum and more about execution, a distinction that became especially clear in 2025.
Those three months account for roughly one-third of all annual U.S. golf rounds, with July consistently the single highest-volume month of the year, according to long-running National Golf Foundation (NGF) participation tracking.
For operators, that concentration of demand also brings maximum exposure: staffing levels are fixed, maintenance intensity is highest, and pricing decisions have immediate consequences.
That context explains why the early weeks of summer 2025 generated unease across the industry. After a record-setting 2024, the market did not accelerate again. Instead, June arrived quietly. NGF and Golf Datatech data show that U.S. rounds in June 2025 were down 0.6% year-on-year, a modest decline by historical standards, but one that mattered because it landed in a month when cost pressure is at its most acute.
Flat demand in June is manageable; flat demand in June at peak cost intensity is not.
July steadied the picture. Rounds rose 2.6% compared with July 2024, restoring momentum in the most important month on the calendar by sheer volume. That shift was felt operationally more than statistically. Tee sheets filled more predictably, staffing plans became easier to justify, and the sense of early-season risk eased. August then did what it increasingly does for the industry. Rounds jumped 7.7% year-on-year, pushing year-to-date play 1.4% ahead of last year and returning 2025 to record-year contention, something the NGF has since acknowledged in its broader industry commentary.
For operators, the message was not about celebration. It was about timing. This was a summer that had to be managed.
