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SERVING THE GAME

Golf Scorecard Provides a 2024 Snapshot of the Recreational Game

By Andrew Dzurita, USGA

| Dec 17, 2024 | Liberty Corner, N.J.

“It’s been exciting to see year-over-year trends develop as the World Handicap System has matured, shedding light on how and where the game is being played in the U.S." (USGA/Bill Hornstein)

The USGA has released its 2024 Golf Scorecard, the organization’s first data report that highlights domestic golfer participation trends using information from scores posted under the World Handicap System™ (WHS). With 3.35 million golfers posting over 77 million scores in 2024, the WHS™ contains first-person data that offers a one-of-a-kind snapshot of how the game was played this year at a macro level. The report also compares data going back to 2020 to reveal trends about the recreational game.

The data release coincides with a completely redesigned GHIN Rewind experience going live to all users of the GHIN mobile app presented by Sentry, allowing golfers to see their personal year-in-review. The data set used for both the Golf Scorecard and GHIN Rewind runs from January 1, 2024, to November 30, 2024. As the calendar turns to 2025, users can interact with an updated GHIN Rewind in January to see a complete picture of their 2024 golf game.

View the 2024 USGA Golf Scorecard

Looking at the 77 million-plus scores posted in 2024, and comparing that to WHS data going back to 2020, trends include:

  • A significant increase in 9-hole score posting: There were a record number of 9-hole rounds played in 2024 with 13,798,174 scores posted – an 8% increase over 2023 and up nearly 40% since 2020.
  • More golfers with a Handicap Index®: Over 3.35 million golfers in the U.S. maintained a Handicap Index in 2024 – up over 6% year over year and up nearly 30% since 2020.
  • New golfers posting more 9-hole rounds: Those who established a Handicap Index in 2024 were more likely to play and post 9-hole rounds; women who started this year played 9 over 50% of the time, whereas men new to the game played 9 over 28 percent of the time.
  • Short courses becoming more popular: Since January of this year, par-3 and other shorter length courses are now eligible to obtain a Course Rating™ and Slope Rating® and, to date, over 180K scores have been posted at more than 350 short courses nationwide.
  • Most rounds posted are recreational: A widely held notion that a Handicap Index is only for golfers who are playing in elite competitions continues to be dispelled by the data, as 94.5% of the 77 million rounds posted were recreational. Also, 25.4% of men and 23.7% of women posted at least one competitive score in 2024, meaning that over 75% of all golfers were playing and posting for fun.

 

“It’s been exciting to see year-over-year trends develop as the World Handicap System has matured, shedding light on how and where the game is being played in the U.S.,” said Steve Edmondson, USGA Managing Director of Handicapping and Course Rating. “We’ve been able to use that data to inform recent Rules of Handicapping changes, including updating how 9-hole scores are treated for handicap purposes, based on the record popularity in playing 9. We’re grateful for our Allied Golf Associations in support of this work and are excited to give players more insight into how the game is being played across the country.”

GHIN Rewind

The reimagined GHIN Rewind offers golfers personalized recap of their game, complete with highs & lows from 2024. (USGA/Bill Hornstein)

Showcasing an entirely new layout, the 2024 GHIN Rewind highlights a more evolved GHIN user experience, with more data points to offer golfers a comprehensive review of their year. The features include:

  • Personalized Year-in-Review: Celebrate your golf journey with a tailored recap highlighting your activity and milestones from 2024.
  • Comprehensive Data Highlights: GHIN Rewind includes key insights like Handicap Index changes, average score, total rounds played, lowest and highest scores, courses played, days and months played, hardest and easiest courses, and most-played courses.  
  • Immersive Multi-Slide Experience: GHIN Rewind now features an engaging, story-style format, transitioning from last year’s single-page summary.
  • Shareable Moments: Each slide is designed to be easily shareable, so you can showcase your golf accomplishments with friends and fellow golfers.
  • Data Included: Captures your 2024 golf data through November 30, with a refresh in January 2025 to include your full-year activity for any rounds played in December.
  • Access: Golfers must have posted at least three 18-hole rounds to see their GHIN Rewind. The feature is available on the GHIN app for iOS and Android.

 

“Heading into our third year of GHIN Rewind, our team wanted to go deeper on golfer data, and I think users will be really excited by the new GHIN Rewind experience,” said Tom Padula, USGA senior director of GHIN. “Buoyed by data, GHIN Rewind is just the latest development of GHIN app, where our recent free trial launch has opened doors for many more golfers. We’ve seen amazing support from our partner in Sentry and can’t wait to unveil more new features to improve the golfer experience in 2025.”

The GHIN app is fully integrated with the World Handicap System, which the USGA also oversees in its governance function, to ensure fair and equitable play for all golfers. More than 3.3 million golfers in the U.S. alone maintain a Handicap Index, across a wide range of playing abilities.

Download the GHIN app now on iOS or Android, and for more information about the app and its features, please visit www.GHIN.com.