The number of registered golfers rises more than last year, especially among younger people, but golf remains predominantly old.
‘Golf in Germany today sparks more interest than ever before.’ With these words, DGV President Claus M. Kobold announced the growth of registered golfers in Germany at the German Golf Federation’s annual kickoff. As of September 30, 2025, the number of DGV memberships increased by 1.3% to 695,617 registered golfers at DGV-affiliated golf facilities. Golf has been growing almost continuously since 2021. The DGV hopes to surpass the milestone of 700,000 memberships next year.
More Golfers in Germany Than Ever Before
Notably, the number of golfers is rising mainly in the 19- to 40-year-old age group, contrary to Germany’s general population trend. This trend, which started last year, continued in 2025 with a growth of 7.45% compared to the previous year. While the German Golf Federation was puzzled last year about the reasons for this growth, this year some assumptions have been made. ‘According to the association, modern communication methods, digital communication, and a contemporary golf image pay off here,’ stated Achim Battermann, Deputy President of the DGV, in the press release. Golf clubs that engage interested golfers via social media and an improved image of golf in Germany may be causal factors for this trend.
60+ Golfers Predominate
However, golf remains mostly an older sport. The largest age group in Germany is 60 years and older, making up 46.9% of all registered golfers. This is slightly less than in Denmark (47.4%) and France (49.4%), but compared to markets like Sweden (31.91%) or Spain (37.18%), golf in Germany is significantly older. The German Golf Federation views this as relaxed due to the growth trend among younger individuals. ‘Our figures impressively show that people stay loyal to golf for decades while a younger generation is emerging – this is a very healthy combination,’ said Alexander Klose, Board Services, Legal and Communications. However, before the younger generation can replace the golfers who inevitably leave due to age, much must be done, especially to stop the trend of losing as many golfers aged 40 to 60 as young people join.
Challenges in Gender Balance and Club Numbers
Golf in Germany also remains male-dominated. While the total number of golfers has increased over the last two years, the total number of female golfers is declining. Even in the growing 19- to 40-year-old segment, growth among young women is slower than among young men. For girls under 18, numbers are even decreasing, whereas boys show slight growth. Membership growth is not spread evenly across all golf facilities, representing only an average. The number of golf facilities decreased by five to 721 in Germany, due to various reasons not solely linked to profitability.