How climate change is impacting the game of golf

According to the National Golf Foundation, a record 532 million rounds of golf were played in 2024. This is the third time in the last four years that a record for rounds played in a year has been broken. If the last few years are any indication, 2025 seems set to be another record year. Golf equipment sales are up more than 40 percent compared to pre-COVID, with apparel up 55 percent based on 2023 data.

Off-course golf participation, which includes Topgolf and golf simulators, is continuing to grow in popularity and use. Golf simulators are notable in that over 6 million Americans used them in 2023, a 73-percent increase from 2019. The global golf simulator market is expected to reach just under $2 billion in 2025 and double by 2033.

The only thing that can slow the growth of golf is the cost, which at the moment hasn’t been a major factor. But as rounds of golf increase, so has the price. Golf equipment prices continue to increase. A new top-line driver has doubled in price in a decade, and a dozen Titleist Pro V1 golf balls range from $50 to $65, with most in the range of $60 to $65 in the pro shop.

Golf course maintenance continues to be challenged and squeezed in order to meet the expectations of golfers who are paying more and expecting continually improving playing surfaces.

In addition to the ongoing quest for a high-quality playing surface, the increase in extreme environmental events brought about by climate change has been significant. Events like high and low temperatures, excessive water events like thunderstorms, flooding and drought all seemed to have increased in intensity and frequency over the last 20 years.

Superintendents and turfgrass researchers are combating the impact of storms and weather events on turf. We have tried to design and develop management programs to deal with extremes caused by climate change. We’ve developed turfgrasses that are more drought- and pest-tolerant, implemented management practices such as syringing to deal with rising temperatures and drought and developed pest programs in the face of increasing pest pressure.

With climate change, we have focused on its impact on turf management. But what may be the effect of climate change on the game of golf itself?

For example, excessive rain occurs, resulting in flooding or wet surfaces that leads to the golf course being closed. We know what a difficult decision it is for any golf course superintendent to close the course. Golfers book tee times in advance and look forward to that day, only to be canceled. Even if the course is not closed, restricting golf carts to cart paths can frustrate golfers.

Increasing temperatures associated with climate change enhance asthma, allergies and air pollution. Does this make golf unavailable for some golfers during a long stretch of the season?

The above are just a couple of examples we might expect to occur with climate change. I wonder if this is a major reason for increased golf simulator use in the last five years. Are golfers beginning to look for an alternative way to play golf? A form of golf where the course is not closed due to wet, soggy conditions; temperature and precipitation are not issues in a simulator.

As an anecdotal note, I play in a golf league at a nine-hole military base during the spring and summer. The league also includes an indoor winter league using a couple of golf simulators. The number of players in the golf simulator league is twice that of the summer league.

Climate change requires golf course superintendents to continually change or adjust management programs. Why would the game of golf itself not be changing under climate pressure?

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