The Rise of the Golf Girls

With 47.2 million people playing golf in 2024, the highest number recorded in American history, one thing is undeniable: golf is hot right now. The sport is everywhere— all over magazine covers, social media, and even Netflix, with the recent release of Happy Gilmore 2, which generated over 46.7 million views in its first three days of streaming. With all eyes on golf, it is unsurprising that women’s golf is growing explosively. A record 8 million women played on-course last year, a massive number that is up by 41% since 2019. Women are showing up in numbers, and getting out onto the green more than ever before— both recreationally and competitively.

In recent years, the presence of off-course golf spaces, such as Topgolf, have opened up new avenues for entry into the sport. For a first-timer, being introduced to golf in a more casual environment offers a taste for the sport without the rigidity often associated with playing on a club course. For many, this recreational introduction to the sport serves as a bridge to on-course play, and has vastly contributed to the influx of golfers from age 18 to 34.

Today, women account for 39% of all beginner golfers, a number that reflects the cultural moment that women’s golf is currently experiencing within the media. As one of the most dominant players in the LPGA, Nelly Korda’s recent cover appearance in the May Issue of Sports Illustrated Swimsuit marks the impressive name that she has made for herself within the world of sports. Given her recent cameo appearance in Happy Gilmore 2, her influence within not just the golf world, but pop culture, is undeniable. But the reach of women’s golf within the mainstream media extends beyond professional players. With figures such as WNBA star Caitlin Clark playing in LPGA pro-am events, and Broadway’s Mary Kate Morrissey making waves with her golf content, prominent women across many fields are popularizing the sport to new audiences, inspiring women to join in on the action.

But it isn’t stopping here. With youth participation among girls who are on-course, junior golfers hitting a record high of 35% last year, the world of women’s golf is expected to continue growing exponentially. Youth players are spearheading the way towards creating a more inclusive sport, and are slowly beginning to close the gender gap that has long existed in golf.

For golfers worldwide, the great golf boom has been an exhilarating time of growth and expansion for a sport beloved by so many. Lilihammer’s core mission is to grow alongside this movement, and it’s been so exciting to see the rising interest in golf.