By Murray John Collier
I recently shared the Old Tom Capital 2026 Golf Industry Outlook with a member of a private club that travels internationally. It’s one of the most data-rich reads on where the golf economy is heading, and for those of us operating with South Africa in mind, the signal is hard to ignore.
Here’s what stands out to me.
The American golfer has never been more primed to travel. U.S. on-course participation hit 29.1 million players in 2025 (the eighth consecutive year of growth). Core golfers grew 10% last year alone. Private club membership is up 50% since 2019, with 44% of members now aged 18–49.
This is a younger, more curious traveler, who wants world-class golf and a transformative experience around it. The 147,000 international visitors who booked golf-safari hybrid experiences in South Africa in 2023 alone will attest to that. South Africa is positioned to deliver exactly this: golf, wildlife, wine, and culture woven into a single journey that no other destination can replicate.
One of the most interesting observations in the report is the shift in how affluent Americans are spending both time and money. Flexible work patterns, remote connectivity, and AI-driven productivity gains are creating more discretionary time for high-income professionals. In practical terms: more long-haul travel, more experiential spending, and a greater appetite for premium leisure.
The report identifies the “traveling golfer” as the highest-value customer in the entire ecosystem, spending across rooms, F&B, instruction, and retail at multiples of local play. Grand View Research projects South Africa’s golf tourism market reaching $311 million by 2030 (up from roughly $200 million in 2023), with international visitation as the fastest-growing segment.
The industry does still face real challenges. Air connectivity remains a hurdle, long-haul routing from major U.S. cities to Cape Town or Johannesburg is less seamless than traditional European golf destinations. And there is still an awareness gap. Many American golfers don’t yet fully understand the quality, accessibility, value, and sheer diversity of what South Africa offers.
That’s where the opportunity lies, in strategic positioning. South Africa doesn’t need to imitate Scotland or Ireland. It offers something entirely different, and I believe, far more immersive. The global golfer is evolving. Travel demand is growing. Experiential luxury is becoming more valuable than material luxury.
South Africa sits at the intersection of all three.
If that’s a conversation worth having, lets chat.