Looking at Driving Routes... MZ and Female Golfers Have Significantly Increased Due to COVID-19

Analysis of Destination Counts by Tmap Navigation Users
Higher Growth Rate Among 2030 Generation Compared to Middle-Aged and Older Adults
Increase in Female Golfer Trips Also Larger Than Males

Since the COVID-19 pandemic, the golf population has grown significantly, with a relatively notable increase among the MZ generation (Millennials + Generation Z) and female golfers.

On the 6th, Asia Economy investigated the number of times golf courses were set as the final destination over the past three years (2020-2022) based on de-identified driving data from users of T map Mobility's 'T map Navigation' who consented to data usage. De-identified data refers to information that excludes basic details such as gender or age, making it impossible to identify the user.

The number of trips where people in their 20s set golf courses as their destination increased from 109,361 in 2020 to 210,658 in 2021, a 92.6% rise compared to the previous year, and further grew by about 53% to 307,483 last year. During the same period, those in their 30s also increased sequentially from 830,454 to 1,358,902, and then to 1,739,012 trips. The year-on-year growth rates were 63.6% and 28%, respectively.

A representative from T map Mobility explained, "This result is based on counting only the number of trips where T map Navigation users set the names of golf courses nationwide as their final destination and completed the drive from the starting point." They added, "Since the purpose of the visit can be assumed to be golf, this data can be used as a reference to check the trend of golf participation by age group."

The number of golf course visits by the 2030 generation, collectively referred to as the MZ generation, lagged behind the 4050 generation, which forms the core of the golf population, in absolute numbers. However, the growth rate over the three years following COVID-19 was higher than that of the middle-aged and older generations. During the same period, the number of golf course destination settings by people in their 40s was 2,943,478 in 2020, 4,466,506 in 2021, and 5,235,500 in 2022, increasing by 51.7% and 17.2% year-on-year, respectively. For those in their 50s, the number rose from 3,617,372 in 2020 to 5,419,507 in 2022, with growth rates of 38.6% and 8.1%, which were lower than those of the 2030 generation.

The number of trips where male drivers using T map Navigation set golf courses as their destination increased from 7,480,797 in 2020 to 10,416,675 in 2021, and 12,408,475 in 2022. Female drivers recorded 1,548,906 trips in 2020, 2,370,228 in 2021, and 3,033,070 in 2022. Although the absolute number for males was about 4 to 5 times higher than for females, the annual growth rates were 39.3% and 19.1% for males, and 53% and 28% for females, indicating that the influx of female golfers progressed more rapidly.

Earlier, an analysis of T map destination data by SK Telecom and T map Mobility from August to December 2021 showed that the number of golf course destination settings by the 2030 generation increased by 7.54 and 14.58 percentage points compared to the same period before COVID-19 in 2019. During the same period, the proportion of females setting golf courses as their destination also rose by 11.72 percentage points, a larger increase than the 9.43 percentage points for males.

SK Telecom evaluated, "Through mobility data, we were able to confirm that golf, which can be enjoyed outdoors after COVID-19, has become a new hobby for the younger generation."

Meanwhile, based on last year's data classifying the golf courses most frequently set as destinations by golfers by region, in the metropolitan area, Lakeside Country Club (CC) in Yongin-si, Gyeonggi Province, ranked first with 139,867 trips. In Gangwon Province, Century 21 CC in Wonju-si recorded 85,341 trips; in Chungbuk, Tejeve CC in Cheongju-si had 84,396 trips; in Chungnam, Solago CC in Taean-gun had 60,962 trips; in Jeonbuk, Gunsan CC in Gunsan-si had 58,698 trips; in Jeonnam, Muan CC in Muan-gun had 34,984 trips; in the Gyeongbuk region, The Golf Club in Ulju-gun, Ulsan Metropolitan City, had 44,772 trips; in Gyeongnam, Gaya CC in Gimhae-si had 58,786 trips; and in Jeju, Castle Lex Jeju GC in Seogwipo-si ranked first with 20,008 trips.