Seventy organizations across the U.S. selected to receive funding through Make Golf Your Thing Grassroots Grants Program

PONTE VEDRA BEACH, FL (June 6, 2025) – Seventy organizations across the United States with programs reaching those underrepresented in golf have been selected to receive funding through the Make Golf Your Thing Grassroots Grants Program. The program is administered by American Golf Industry Coalition, and was created to help strengthen the game by making it more inclusive and accessible to all.

(Wendy Martin)

Launched in 2020, the grants program – through its latest round of funding – is distributing $500,000 to grassroots organizations nationwide, bringing the total program investment to $3 million over six years.

The grants program was established to support organizations and programs that are strengthening golf by opening doors and inviting more people from historically underrepresented groups to experience the sport, including Black, Latinx, Asian, Indigenous communities, as well as women, LGBTQI+ individuals, Veterans, and individuals with disabilities.

(Shanicka Roberts)

This collective industry effort is showing meaningful results. According to the National Golf Foundation, golf participation reached 47.2 million Americans in 2024 – a 50% increase over the past decade. Ethnically diverse participation has grown, increasing 44% since 2020, with 6.9 million ethnically diverse people playing on-course golf in 2024, and for the first time, representing a quarter of all on-course players. Female participation has similarly grown, with 7.9 million women playing on-course golf in 2024 – a 41% increase since 2019. Women now account for 28% of all on-course participants and represent more than 60% of golf's participation gains since 2019.

“Golf is an important aspect of our country and our communities, contributing to the economy as well as the well-being of people who get involved,” said Greg McLaughlin, CEO of American Golf Industry Coalition, a division of World Golf Foundation. “These grassroots organizations are doing incredible work to ensure golf is accessible and inviting to people from all backgrounds, identities and abilities. Thank you to our partners who are investing in golf’s future through this program.”

Seven organizations have demonstrated exceptional commitment to inclusive golf programming by receiving grants funding in each of the program's six cycles: FairWays to Leadership, Golf. My Future. My Game., Greater Cleveland Junior Golf Scholarship Fund, Jackson Park Golf Association, Par Excellence Youth Development, Women in Golf Foundation, and Women of Color Golf.

The grants program is administered by American Golf Industry Coalition and made possible through the generous support of industry partners. Make Golf Your Thing was launched in 2020 as a multi-faceted, multi-year initiative that reflects the industry’s commitment to ensure the future of golf remains open to everyone. The initiative supports grassroots organizations working to welcome new participants to golf while building pathways for long-term engagement with the sport. Learn more at MakeGolfYourThing.org.

For a complete list of grants recipients, visit www.golfcoalition.org/grassrootsgrants.

About the American Golf Industry Coalition
American Golf Industry Coalition is a partnership among golf's leading organizations working to collectively tell the story of golf's contributions to the economy, health and wellness benefits, charitable giving, and environmental and sustainability initiatives. The coalition unites the industry in pursuit of goals designed to enhance the vitality of both the business and recreational levels of the sport.

Media Contact:
Jane Fader
904-940-4330
jfader@worldgolffoundation.org