The number of registered golfers in Germany rises significantly, especially among younger people, but golf remains predominantly an older sport.
“Golf in Germany sparks more interest today than ever before.” With these words, DGV President Claus M. Kobold announced the growth of registered golfers in Germany during the annual kickoff of the German Golf Association. As of September 30, 2025, the number of DGV memberships increased by 1.3% to 695,617 registered golfers at DGV-affiliated golf courses. This marks almost continuous growth in golf since 2021. The DGV hopes to surpass the magic mark of 700,000 memberships in the coming year.
More Golfers in Germany Than Ever Before
It is particularly noticeable that the number of golfers is rising mainly in the age group between 19 and 40 years, contrary to the population trend in Germany. This trend was already evident last year and continued in 2025. The growth in this age group is 7.45 percent compared to the previous year. While the German Golf Association was puzzled last year about the reasons for this growth, this year they at least offer some assumptions. “According to the association, modern communication methods, digital communication, and a contemporary golf image are paying off,” stated Achim Battermann, Deputy President of the DGV, in the press release. Golf clubs that engage golfers through social media and an improved image of golf in Germany might be decisive for this trend.
Older Golfers Predominate
Nevertheless, golf remains primarily a sport for older people. The largest age group in Germany is 60 years and older, accounting for 46.9 percent of all registered golfers. This is still less than in Denmark (47.4 percent) and France (49.4 percent). Compared to markets like Sweden (31.91 percent) or Spain (37.18 percent), golf in Germany is significantly older. The German Golf Association considers this “relaxed,” given the growth trend among younger people. “Our figures impressively show that people remain loyal to golf for decades while a younger generation is emerging—that is a very healthy combination,” said Alexander Klose, Board Member for Services, Law and Communication. However, to replace the golfers who will eventually drop out due to age, more needs to be done, especially to stop the trend of almost as many golfers leaving between the ages of 40 and 60 as young people are joining.
Gender Imbalance Persists While Membership Growth Continues
Golf not only remains an older sport but also male-dominated. While the total number of golfers in Germany has grown over the last two years, the total number of female golfers is declining. Even in the growing age group between 19 and 40, the growth among young women is slower than among young men. For girls under 18, numbers are even decreasing, while there is slight growth among boys.
The membership growth is not evenly distributed across all golf courses but rather represents an average. The number of golf facilities in Germany decreased by 5 to 721. However, this has various reasons and is not solely due to lack of profitability.