How many countries play golf in the world?
In 2020 golf was played in 206 of the 251 countries and dependent territories recognized by the International Organization for Standardization (ISO). There’s even a 9-holer on Christmas Island, an Australian outpost in the Indian Ocean that has a local rule regarding “robber” land crabs known to take golf balls. The answer might surprise you. According to a survey by the National Golf Foundation, golf is now played in 206 of 251 countries and dependent territories.
Which country likes golf the most?
Do you love nothing more than golfing? You’re not the only one! Golf is a sport that’s enjoyed worldwide. It’s most popular in Ireland, but Canada, the UK, and the US come in after. Golf is big business and in Asia it is bigger than ever. From tens of millions of players to billions of dollars in investment and a growing professional circuit, the sport is booming on and off the course.
Which country owns the most golf?
Even though golf originated in Europe, these days nearly half of the world’s golf courses can be found in the United States. Specifically, of Earth’s nearly 40,000 total courses, more than 16,000 are in the U. S. Japan comes in second place with just over 3,000 courses. Over the past five years, the number of traditional golfers has risen by 16%. Meanwhile, total golf participation (those who play on- and off-course with a real ball, real club and full swing) climbed to 47. U. S.The following is a list of golfers who have been top of the Official World Golf Ranking (originally known as the Sony Ranking), since the rankings started on April 6, 1986. As of January 4, 2026, Scottie Scheffler is the number one ranked golfer. Tiger Woods, the record holder of most weeks spent as world No. Leading golfers worldwide 2025, by annual earnings In 2025, Jon Rahm was the highest-earning golfer in the world, with an income of around 100 million U. S. Scottie Scheffler ranked second, earning over 92 million U. S.Tiger Woods – $1. Tiger Woods is widely regarded as the ‘GOAT’ of golf and is undoubtedly the most financially successful player in the lucrative sport.