By Jordan Fuller
COVID-19 may have done some damage, but it did some good, too! Once the pandemic was over, golf suddenly got a huge boost in popularity, and it’s still on the up and up. Why? Well, during the pandemic, a whole lot of non-golfers discovered it as a safe, socially-distanced outdoor activity… And we golfers know, the more you play, the more you fall in love with the game.
Can you believe that during lockdown in 2020, more than half a million new golfers emerged in the US? Worldwide, the number of golfers increased by 15% between 2020 and 2023, so it looks like people are seeing golf as a long-term hobby, not just a pandemic boredom buster!
During the pandemic, it was pretty easy to experience the benefits of golf both physically and mentally. Getting on the course was an escape, a place where it became easy to clear your mind, manage your stress, get a bit of much-needed social interaction, and improve your mental well-being.
Golfers are also getting younger and younger, thanks to tech-heavy experiences like Topgolf. Thanks to COVID-19, golf has become so much more accessible to a huge range of people who never really thought about it before.
The Role of Social Media in Transforming Golf
One of the biggest reasons golf is booming since the pandemic is social media. When you can get golf-related info on your phone, in your pocket, at any hour of the day… It becomes so much more engaging!
Plus, platforms like Instagram, TikTok, and X have made the sport more available and interesting to younger audiences. Golfing content is being made, liked, and shared a LOT more than it ever used to be.
Even famous golfers are using social media to interact with fans, promote tournaments, and share behind-the-scenes stuff, which creates a much stronger personal connection. It’s becoming an accessible, relatable sport thanks to social media—especially since golf has always been seen as a “rich person’s game” or for the very upper class.
Thanks to social media, golf has become an exciting, vibrant sport that appeals to a wide bunch of people—young, older, male, female, fit, unfit, outgoing, introverted… It’s for everyone, and social media helps make that happen.
How Online Platforms Are Changing The Golf Game
Like all content, golf content changes the way people view and enjoy the sport. Here’s how these online platforms are bringing golf into the spotlight!
Engaging Content Strategies
Dynamic content really draws people in. Think about it this way—seeing a picture of Tiger Woods teeing off leaves a lot to your imagination. But watching a video… Then, you can see his concentration as he squares up, watch his perfect swing in motion, and hear the club strike the ball.
Videos, stories, and reels make golf so much more real to viewers. They also bring the smaller, fun bits of the game to the watchers—things like trick shots, interactions between golfers, and little bits of personality that come out on the course. The things you don’t usually see unless you’re there!
Interactive content, like polls, Q&A sessions, and challenges, allows your audience to participate actively, which can really help build a strong relationship with golf.
Leveraging User-Generated Content
You can really get in on the action by interacting with golf brands. Many brands, players, and golf-related accounts encourage their followers to share their own content and tag the brand in their posts.
This is fun and a good way to widen your golfing circles online. But it’s also an excellent way to get more and more people doing golf things! It’s great to be encouraged by big brands golfers, or even other entry-level golfers.
It also builds a nice sense of community, and it’s a great way to feel included in the general golf sphere. In these cases, it doesn’t usually matter how good you are—people will celebrate and enjoy your game, which can be a huge boost!
Targeted Advertising and Promotions
Social media is also the perfect place for golf courses, clubs, and brands to advertise. Targeting strategies have become more and more refined, so they can really pinpoint those people who are interested in their products and services, which means a higher chance of making a sale.
On the other end of the spectrum, people who aren’t super interested are much less likely to get these kinds of ads. In the end, this means a higher ROI on ads and less annoyed social media users!
It’s also done wonders for golf tourism, especially in lesser-known areas like Kashmir and others. People are coming from far and wide to enjoy golf courses in countries they’re visiting, which helps boost local economies.
Easy Accessibility Worldwide
Gone are the days of having no other choice but the golf pro at your local golf club. If you want to learn to golf, you CAN—no matter where in the world you are. Online lessons, YouTube videos, tips, and tricks are available on every social media platform. You don’t even have to pay to learn the basics!
In countries with limited golf infrastructure, social media brings the game right to the people. You don’t have to travel to faraway places to get golf coaching or work on your swing—you can get world-class drivers and putters delivered to your door and a virtual coach in your pocket 24/7.
Social Media Platforms Driving Golf’s Resurgence
Let’s take a deeper dive into how each social media platform is impacting golf and its reach across the world.
Instagram: The Visual Allure of Golf
Insta is the perfect place to share (and browse) beautiful golf courses. It’s very visual, and if you’re into golfing content, your attention is going to be drawn by a gorgeous course popping up on your screen!
If you’re following your favorite golfers, you’ll also enjoy sneak peeks into behind-the-scenes moments at tournaments, insider info on their favorite equipment, and maybe even training tips and tricks.
Hashtags like #GolfAtHome and #BackToGolf are often trending, so you can also get some engagement from others in the golfing community if you upload your own content.
TikTok: Viral Golf Challenges and Trends
TikTok is hugely popular with younger people, so it’s brought a whole new audience to the game of golf! It’s particularly full of viral trends, like trick shots, funny scripted golf videos, and golf challenges.
A lot of it is lighthearted and not very serious, but it’s definitely making the sport much more accessible to generations of people who may have viewed it as an “older person’s sport” before.
YouTube: Tutorials, Vlogs, and Live Streams
YouTube is the online education capital of the world! If you want tutorials, hands-on advice on the finer points of your swing, or even detailed interviews with golfers, this is the place you want to be.
Live streaming and vlogging have also become big on YouTube. It allows for longer videos than other social media platforms, so if you’re into long-form golf videos, virtual training aids, or detailed coaching advice, then get on YouTube!
X (formerly Twitter): Real-Time Engagement and Discussions
X is much less visual (although you can share pictures), but it’s more about information and conversation. Live updates on golf tournaments (minute-by-minute, shot-by-shot) are common on this platform, and some golfers enjoy interacting with their fans here.
It’s a nice difference from the visually-based platforms, where you can go to talk about golf, golfers, equipment, and whatever other golf-related stuff you want.
Conclusion
For the first time in a long time, golf’s popularity has been rising, and it does not look like it’s slowing down! Social media has made it so much easier for people throughout the world to learn about the sport, work on their game, and find that passion for the game.
Digital marketing and social sharing keep getting more and more innovative. Who knows what we’ll see in the coming months and years—but we’re pretty sure that both younger and older generations will keep enjoying golf in this new way!
About the Author
- Jordan Fuller is a retired golfer and businessman. When he’s not on the course working on his own game or mentoring young golfers, he writes in-depth articles for his website, Golf Influence.
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