German Golf Market

True Golf Marketing, Sweden and GermanyGermany is a big country with almost 82 million people. 625.000 of them played golf organized in a club in 2011. That is a lot less in regard to the population if you compare that with Sweden. But here is the good news: Golfers in Germany have money, historically it has been a “rich mans sport” in the country and this is only changing very slowly. That fact and also an almost snobbish elitism at many clubs (which is also luckily changing now) have made it difficult to open the sport for the masses like in Sweden. But again, this is not bad news for the tourism industry. Because German golfers travel a lot and if they do, they also spend a lot of money. They can afford it. And all elitism aside: The number of golfers in Germany has been growing every year for many years now.
Here are some key facts about the German golf market:
  • Number of golf clubs: 719 (2012)
  • Number of members in golf clubs: 635.097 (2012)
  • From 2001 to 2012 the number of golfers grew by nearly 60%
  • Female golfers: 238.279
  • Male golfers: 396.818
  • 75% of all members are older than 40 years
  • 35% are older than 60 years
  • 88% of German regular golfers who take golf holidays have taken a “non-domestic” golf break in the last 12 months*
  • Spain is the most popular destination for German golfers*
  • German golfers stay long (average 7,4 days) on non-domestic trips*

*from a study from Sports Marketing Surveys Inc. for the 2012 International Golf Travel Market (IGTM)