"MZ Reminisce, 3040 Relax: The Charm of Golf by Age Group"

US Golf Foundation Survey
"Focus on Experience When Young, Health When Older"

As the COVID-19 pandemic sparked a golf craze, the age range of participants expanded beyond middle-aged and older adults to include the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z). While interest and enthusiasm for the sport increased across all ages, the reasons golfers were captivated by golf differed by generation. Younger players tended to focus on creating memories, whereas older players emphasized emotional and physical aspects of playing rounds, according to an analysis.

Mayfield Hotel Seoul 'Little Golf Buddy with Jim McLean'
Photo by Mayfield Hotel Seoul

On the 22nd, according to the golf industry, the National Golf Foundation (NGF) recently surveyed 1,084 golfers across different age groups in the United States about their reasons for playing golf. The results showed that 40% of golfers aged 18 to 34 cited "social benefits," such as spending time with friends, family, and colleagues and treating golf as a special event, as the most important reason.

Among the 18 to 34 age group, 19% said they enjoyed golf because it allowed them to experience new courses and travel while making memories, a figure higher than the roughly 10% seen in other age groups. They also selected mental and emotional relaxation (23%), physical exercise (10%), and competition (8%) as reasons. The NGF evaluated that "younger golfers place greater importance on camaraderie and experiences through golf."

For golfers aged 35 to 49, golf served as a channel for mental relaxation. This age group, often classified as the sandwich generation, had 34% responding that they played golf "to escape reality, rest well, relieve stress, and feel exhilaration." Generally, they viewed golf from a mental and emotional perspective.

Those aged 50 and above showed a stronger focus on physical activity. Among golfers aged 50 to 64, 27%, and those 65 and older, 39%, explained that they played golf for outdoor activities, walking, exercise, and calorie consumption. The NGF analyzed this as "a preference for sports that allow exercise while breathing fresh air as people age."

For the 35 to 49 age group, after mental relaxation, the reasons ranked as social benefits (28%), physical exercise and competition (14%), and experience (11%). For those aged 50 to 64, social benefits were followed by physical exercise (27%), mental and emotional relaxation (21%), competition (14%), and experience (8%). Additionally, those 65 and older chose social benefits (31%) next to physical exercise, followed by mental and emotional relaxation (14%), competition (11%), and experience (5%).

Meanwhile, last year, it was estimated that more than 25 million golfers in the United States visited a golf course at least once. The NGF explained that this is the highest number among paid outdoor sports. According to the 2022 National Sports for All Survey conducted by the Ministry of Culture, Sports and Tourism on 9,000 Korean citizens, 9.3% of domestic golfers responded that they had played golf in the past year.