Golf's image is changing – for everyone

The game of golf is changing.

From a domain dominated by retirees and businessmen, now shifting towards the younger generation and women too.

A significant surge in the game's popularity has ultimately halted an annual 1% decline in popularity, and it is now growing at more than 5% each year.

Last year, more than 4 million people played golf in Australia – whether that be at a course, a range, a simulator, or even their local putt-putt.

The most recent Australian Open at the Royal Melbourne Golf Club was indicative of this shift as it showcased a significant rise in fans aged 25-45, as well as an increase in women golfers as spectators. What's more, less than half (45%) of those spectators were private golf club members, a 20% decrease in comparison to previous years that demonstrates the changing face of golf.

Led by FutureBrand in Australia, Golf Australia and the PGA of Australia, a dynamic shift in national strategy and brand identity was established four years ago. Nearly 10,000 people, all connected to Australian golf have re-shaped it through workshops, interviews and research into the game as part of a deliberate effort to change the ‘out-dated’ definition of a typical golfer.

This has been deconstructed and rebuilt into a modern, inclusive definition – ‘All golf is golf’ where ‘all of us can be golfers’ – in an effort to evolve the sport to increase accessibility and inclusivity for all types of players: from a full round on a course to a bucket of balls at the range or even a session in the simulator bay.

Paired with this, the rise in social media popularity has been instrumental in changing the perception of the game from "something grandfather played to something anyone can play" – via social media, people from all four corners of the world have all been able to highlight themselves playing.

It's a different kind of golf content that can be both fun and funny, sending a clear message that you don't have to be good at golf to have fun.