Garmin Report: Young Golfers Up 76%

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Garmin just released its first global “Trends in Golf Data” report, and if you think golf is an aging sport, the numbers say otherwise.

The report pulls from millions of Garmin Golf app users worldwide — the data logged when people use Garmin’s golf watches, GPS devices, and launch monitors to track their rounds. And the trends are clear enough to read from the clubhouse.

Young golfers are driving the growth.

Garmin saw 76% growth in golfers under age 20 in 2025 compared to 2024. The 20-29 age bracket grew 53%. That’s not a blip. That’s a structural shift.

The 30-39 crowd grew 18%. Golfers 40-49 grew 15%. The 50+ crowd grew 12%. Every age group added players, but the youth explosion is the story. Golf’s reputation as a retirement sport is dying, and these numbers are the autopsy.

Virtual rounds are exploding.

Real-life rounds increased 17% year-over-year. Solid, healthy growth.

Virtual rounds — played on simulators and launch monitors — increased 58%.

That’s the stat that matters for anyone in the home golf sim space. Fifty-eight percent growth in a single year means the line between “golfer” and “simulator user” is blurring fast. People are playing virtual rounds as a complement to real golf, not a replacement. Garmin’s own Approach R50 launch monitor and simulator is clearly tapping into this demand — and the data proves the market is expanding, not cannibalizing.

Launch monitors actually make you better.

This is the stat Garmin buried in the middle of the report, and it’s the one every skeptical buyer needs to hear: golfers who used a Garmin launch monitor for at least six months dropped their scores by an average of 4.4 strokes.

That’s not marketing. That’s data from people who played at least 20 rounds before and 20 rounds after getting a launch monitor, using it at least five times. Practice on a launch monitor translates to lower scores on the course. Period.

Garmin golfers hit the fairway 37% of the time. Pros average 59%. That gap is the opportunity.

Median handicap? 14. And people are cross-training.

The median Garmin golfer carries a 14 handicap. Not bad for a population that includes everyone from weekend hackers to scratch players.

What’s interesting is what Garmin golfers do when they’re not golfing. Walking activities increased 29%. Strength training jumped 45%. Yoga went up 49%. The data suggests golfers are treating their bodies like athletes — and it’s paying off in their game.

What this means for home sim buyers.

The Garmin report is a love letter to the indoor golf market, whether Garmin meant it that way or not. Fifty-eight percent growth in virtual rounds tells you that simulator adoption is accelerating faster than anyone’s been measuring. The “I’ll just practice in my garage” crowd is real, growing, and getting younger.

If you’re on the fence about a simulator, the data says the trend is your friend. People who buy launch monitors improve. People who play virtual rounds are playing more golf overall. And the demographic cliff everyone worried about? It’s not happening. The under-20 crowd is the fastest-growing segment.

Read the full report on Garmin’s blog or check out our coverage of related Garmin products:

• Garmin Approach R50 Review — The all-in-one launch monitor and simulator driving that 58% virtual round growth
• Garmin Approach G82 Review — Garmin’s GPS/launch monitor hybrid
• Garmin R10 Review — The budget radar unit that started it all
• Garmin R50 vs Bushnell Launch Pro — How the R50 stacks up against the competition
• Garmin R50 vs Full Swing KIT — Premium launch monitor showdown