Golfer Demographics: How Many Canadians Are Golfing?
Golf play has always been a positive addition to anyone’s healthy active lifestyle. Adding golf into one’s physical and mental health routines can provide a litany of benefits. It’s also an idyllic activity for those people who are feeling the pull of wanting to see friends, enjoy outdoors, and feel a part of nature again. The only place all three of those things can happen these days is on the golf course. Here are some golfer demographics statistics on Canadian golfers.
Golfer Demographics: General Statistics
The golf play participation rate is 19.4 percent of the population, which is an increase from the participation rate of 18.4 percent in the year 1990. Other noteworthy aspects are as follows: 67.3 million rounds of golf were played by Canadians in 2020. The average number of rounds played by each golfer was 14. The age of a golfer, on average, was 39 years old. The previous year saw an increase of approximately 347,000 new golf players.
Golfers in Canada
A research that was conducted not too long ago by NAVICOM found that there are around 5.7 million golfers in Canada. Students make up as much as 37% of the workforce at Canadian golf play courses, indicating that the golf industry offers excellent career opportunities.
The country is home to more than two thousand five hundred golf courses and practice fields. It is by far the most played sport in the country. There are more people who play golf in Canada than there are who play hockey, and the golfing business contributes more than $11 billion annually to the economy of the country.
Is Golf Play Big in Canada?
Among other golfer demographics figures are the following staggering results to say the least. Statistics Canada estimates that there are approximately 1.5 million golfers in Canada, despite the fact that there are over 2,400 golf courses spread out across the country. That equates to one golf course for every 625 players, or 14,500 Canadians, making Canada one of the countries with the highest number of courses available to its population.
The province of Saskatchewan has the highest number of golf courses relative to its population, despite the fact that Ontario has the most overall golf courses in Canada (805 - 17.48 golf courses per 100,000 people).
Downward Trend in the Golf Industry
Golf play’s popularity has been on the decline since the turn of the millennium; between the years 2003 and 2018, the sport saw a decrease of almost 6.8 million players and more than 1,200 course closures. The COVID-19 global pandemic occurred in March of 2020, putting a strain on the golfing industry.
Golf Courses Across Canada
A research on golf play facilities in Canada was published by Golf Canada and the PGA of Canada. According to the findings of the survey, Canada is home to seven percent of all golf facilities in the entire world. Additionally, it is one of just seven countries in the world that has more than 500 golf courses.
Canada’s Top Golfers
Have you ever thought about the number of well-known golfers who hail from Canada? The last time a Canadian took home the trophy at the RBC Canadian Open was quite some time ago. Pat Fletcher raised the trophy in 1954, and it had been much longer—1914 to be exact—since a Canadian-born player had won the competition (Fletcher was born in England).
However, in spite of the lengthy drought, there has been no shortage of outstanding performances by Canadian golfers on the game’s most prestigious stages. Canada has a great legacy in golf play, as seen by its multiple victories on the PGA TOUR, its ability to inspire younger players, and its numerous Hall of Fame inductees.
Mike Weir is a fantastic golfer who hails from Canada. Weir has won 15 times in his professional career, including eight times on the PGA Tour. The victory in the Masters Tournament in 2003 was undoubtedly the highlight of his professional career. Graham DeLaet is another fantastic golfer that hails from Canada. DeLaet has won four times in his professional career. The PGA Championship in 2014 was when he had his best finish on the PGA Tour, where he tied for 15th place.
Who Was the First Golfer from Canada to Win a Major Championship?
Barr, a three-time PGA TOUR winner and the first Canadian to earn more than $2 million on the PGA TOUR, came very close to becoming the first Canadian golfer to win a major championship. At Oakland Hills, he finished the round with two bogeys, which contributed to his loss to Andy North by a single stroke.
Canada – A Popular Destination for Golfing Vacations
There are several reasons why people recognize Canada. The sport of hockey, of course. Currency with a variety of colours (and note the spelling of “colour”). Polite citizens. Strong beer. Extensive areas dominated by nature. But Canada also has a golfing tradition that dates back quite a ways.
The country boasts a rich culture of golf play and a large percentage of people who play the game. The enormous wilderness that makes up Canada is home to some of the world’s most beautiful and undisturbed natural golf courses. There is an abundance of wildlife in certain areas, particularly in the national parks.