Colorado and Denver golf rounds continue to grow in 2024

Colorado golf rounds through June are up nearly 11 percent

By Jim Bebbington

The number of golf rounds in Colorado played this year through June rose nearly 11 percent over 2023, another sign that when the weather cooperates the region’s golf boom here is still loud.

Spring in Colorado was golf-perfect weatherwise, and course operators say that is one of the reasons for this year’s increase.

“We’re up 21 percent in rounds and 24 percent in revenue,” said Dan Wickman, the PGA Golf Manager for the city of Aurora’s five courses. “The weather this spring was really good and last year was spring rain, snow and cold.”

Since the Covid effect in 2020, thousands have taken up the game in Colorado and millions around the country, according to National Golf Foundation, an industry advocacy and research group.

“The U.S. golf industry is now in its 50th month since pandemic-related restrictions on golf were lifted in 2020 and the numbers continue to reinforce that we’re enjoying a “new normal” when it comes to play,” the report stated.

Nationwide, the number of tee times reported this year through June was up 2 percent. In Colorado tee times were up 10.8 percent and in the Denver area they were up 10.2 percent.

Those numbers put Colorado behind only a group of other western states – Wyoming, Montana, Utah and Idaho – which reported 18.8 percent year-over-year increase in golf rounds through June.

Other golf hotspots did not see the same effect. Naples, Fla., saw golf rounds drop nearly 9 percent year-over-year. The Dallas area saw a decline of 9.5 percent and Phoenix was level with 2023 year-to-date, but reported a 9 percent decline just for the month of June.

Nationwide golf industry veterans are recommending golf operators keep the recent growth in perspective. The industry has seen several swings over the past decades – play going down as well as up – and the recent surge should be seen in that context, they say.

“More people are going back to work in the office, more people are comfortable again taking vacations,” said Steven Bartkowski, the executive director of the Colorado section of the PGA. “It’s neat to see that Colorado continues to see growth. From an overall industry standpoint we know it’s going to level off and maybe go backward.”

Bartkowski said the bigger challenge for golf course operators is to develop programs and options that will entice the millions of off-course golfers who have recently picked up the game.

Off-course golfers play on simulators or at technology-enhanced venues like TopGolf. There are now an estimated 28 million off-course golfers, more than the number of players nationwide who play on grass.

“There’s room for growth, but I would caution we did get to this point in our industry during the Tiger Woods boom and there were a lot of courses built and when it was over a lot of those shut down,” Bartkowski said. “Those off-course golfers are not looking to go to a country clubs; how do we continue to bring those people in the game.”

To read the full National Golf Foundation go here.