More than two million Australians played golf on a course during the past year while memberships have also increased, according to a new report commissioned by the Golf Australia body.

The national body on Wednesday released the 2023-2024 Golf Participation Report, written by Golf Business Advisory Services (GBAS). 

It included figures about the volume and habits of golf participation in the country during the past year, data which was supported by Adam Karg of KAP Research and Deakin University.

Among the positive figures was that golf club membership had grown by 5.6 percent to reach 459,143 members in 2023-2024. That represented a 19 percent growth over the past five years, the report said.

In addition to club members, the report noted there were 1,840,857 golfers categorised as “round players” in the past year, which was an increase of 4 percent from last year. Round players were not club members, but played a nine or 18-hole round of golf (including short courses and par-3 courses). 

Overall, Golf Australia stated that “3.8 million Australians played golf in the last year – at golf courses, driving ranges, simulators or mini-golf facilities, [which was] a 9 percent increase year on year”, Golf Australia chief executive officer, James Sutherland, wrote in the report.

Among the reported 3.8 million golfers, members accounted for 14.5 percent and round players 46 percent.

Contributing to the participation were “outdoor hitters”, who were defined as “an on-course golfer, but [who] also played at a driving range or outdoor practice/entertainment centre”. With 690,000 players, they made up 18.1 percent. Mini-Golf was played by 640,000 (16.8 percent) while “indoor hitters” (no on-course golf, no outdoor practice, but played at a simulation or indoor training centre) totalled 175,000 (4.6 percent).

Sutherland added: “The growth in junior membership was… a 33.4 percent increase from last year, made up of a 37.3 percent increase in boys and 13.8 percent increase in girls. Women and girls membership continues to grow, seeing an increase of 3.2 percent and validating the work done through various specialised programs, including the R&A Women in Golf Charter and the Junior Girls Scholarship Program.

“While traditional on-course play remains strong, the numbers also reveal growth in off-course offerings like driving ranges, indoor golf, and mini-golf.  This reflects golf’s increasingly broad appeal and the impact the Australian Golf Strategy is having in inspiring more Australians to play more golf.”