The pandemic in 2020 played a big part in making this sport so popular, being one of the few sports that people could play during this time. Golf allowed people to get out into the fresh air, whilst still adhering to social distancing guidelines.
During lock down people also developed increased awareness of health and wellness, and golf plays into that well. In a typical round, a golfer generally makes around 13,000 steps and burns between 1,200 and 1,500 calories. At the same time players are able to immerse themselves in nature, which supports their general health and wellbeing.
Despite being a solo sport, golf is surprisingly social, which is a massive draw for people. It offers players many ways to connect through things like club competitions, golf outings and more.
Social engagement spills over to the digital world too, with those interested in the sport consuming vast amounts of content through social media platforms like TikTok, YouTube and Instagram. Top golf influencers on YouTube boast over 2 million subscribers, providing followers with a mixture of content, from instruction and coaching, to reviews of the latest golf club releases.
The increase in golf participation has also had a positive influence on golf clubs. In West Sussex specifically, over 60 golf clubs have expanded their membership offerings to accommodate a much wider range of abilities along with more varied membership options.
Driving ranges have also grown in popularity and offer players a completely different way to engage with the sport. They allow golfers to enjoy the driving part of the game only, by hitting balls out into a wide, open field without any obstacles to avoid, such as trees, water, or bunkers.
Unlike golf clubs, driving ranges are more relaxed and don’t hold as many rules and regulations as clubs. You also don’t need to be a member to play at a driving range, which makes them much more accessible.
Driving ranges offer a quicker way to engage with the sport too, with players generally hitting 50-100 golf balls in one session - this takes an average of one hour, compared to over four hours for a round of golf at a club.
Many driving ranges also have qualified professional golfers on hand to provide individual or group lessons, which can be particularly useful when players start to take the game more seriously but haven’t yet joined a golf club.
Another thing that has grown in popularity over recent years, is the purchase of custom golf equipment. Given a full set of clubs can cost in excess of £2,500, players have become more and more aware of the benefits that tailored, custom built golf equipment can offer.
This, in turn, has given rise to an increase in custom golf club fitting, which is the process of determining golf club specifications through a one-to-one fitting session. Working with an experienced club fitting, the golfer uses a device called a launch monitor to hit the ball repeatedly.
The launch monitor records the data for every shot the golfer hits in the fitting studio, and the fitter will use that data to show the golfer where improvements can be made.
From there, a series of test clubs are quickly assembled, which the golfer will hit, while the fitter checks for improvements in the data recorded by the launch monitor.
The net result is the golfer being given a recommendation of a golf club or clubs, which are specced for their needs and can clearly demonstrate an improvement from the clubs they were using.
Custom-fitting specialists Nine by Nine Golf in Chichester have seen a massive increase in players seeking custom built clubs as the love for this sport continues to grow. Nine by Nine use a blend of technology and professionally trained fitters, to provide golfers with the clubs they need that suit their individual playing abilities.