How Many Golf Courses Are There In The World?

The world is home to almost 40,000 golf courses

The 12th hole at Augusta National pictured
The USA has 16,752 golf courses
(Image credit: Getty Images)

How Many Golf Courses Are There In The World?

The R&A's Golf Around the World 2019 study revealed that 78% of the world's supply of golf courses are located in just 10 countries: the United States, Japan, Canada, England, Australia, Germany, France, Republic of Korea, Sweden and Scotland.

Here we take a look at the rough total number of courses in the world and how many each country has...

Number of golf courses in the world - 38,864

  • USA - 16,752
  • Japan - 3,169
  • Canada - 2,633
  • England - 2,270
  • Australia - 1,616
  • Germany - 1,050
  • France - 804
  • South Korea - 798
  • Sweden - 662
  • Scotland - 614
  • China - 599
  • Spain - 497
  • Ireland - 494
  • South Africa - 489
  • New Zealand - 418
  • Argentina - 349
  • Denmark - 346
  • Netherlands - 330
  • Italy - 321
  • Thailand - 315

The fascinating data shows that North America has 51% of the world's golf courses, with the USA boasting 43%.

How many golf courses are there in Europe?

8,940 (23% OF WORLD'S TOTAL)

Europe has the second-largest regional share with 23% of the world’s total after North America.

England is far and away the number one golfing country in Europe; home to 2,270 golf courses, more than every country in the world barring USA, Japan and Canada.

England has a total of 31,620 golf holes, and the study also revealed that 25% of courses in GB and Ireland are 9 holers. The best golf courses in England include Open Championship venues such as Royal Birkdale, Royal St George's, Royal Liverpool and Royal Lytham & St Annes.

Europe has a total of 8,940 courses with 151 currently under development at the time of the R&A's 2019 publication. That's just over half the amount in the USA, which is home to a whopping 16,752 and 43% of the world's supply.

In second place in Europe is Germany, with a total of 1,050 golf courses. France are 3rd with 804, Sweden 4th with 662 and Scotland in 5th with 614 golf courses. Spain takes 6th place in the list with 497 golf courses, while Ireland holds slightly less with 494 to sit 7th.

Rounding off the top 10 are Denmark (346), the Netherlands (330) and Italy, with 321 golf courses.

  • England - 2,270
  • Germany - 1,050
  • France - 804
  • Sweden - 662
  • Scotland - 614
  • Spain - 497
  • Ireland - 494
  • Denmark - 346
  • Netherlands - 330
  • Italy - 321
  • Austria - 205
  • Finland - 191
  • Norway - 191
  • Wales - 186
  • Czech Republic - 132
  • Belgium - 121
  • Switzerland - 114
  • Portugal - 106
  • Iceland - 75

In the bottom five comes Bosnia and Herzegovina (2), Serbia (2), Belarus (2), the Faroe Islands (1) and finally, Malta with just one golf course.

Across the continent, you will find no less than 8,940 golf courses, amounting to 125,268 golf holes.

Elliott Heath
News Editor

Elliott Heath is our News Editor and has been with Golf Monthly since early 2016 after graduating with a degree in Sports Journalism. He manages the Golf Monthly news team as well as our large Facebook, Twitter and Instagram pages. He covered the 2022 Masters from Augusta National as well as five Open Championships on-site including the 150th at St Andrews. His first Open was in 2017 at Royal Birkdale, when he walked inside the ropes with Jordan Spieth during the Texan's memorable Claret Jug triumph. He has played 35 of our Top 100 golf courses, with his favourites being both Sunningdales, Woodhall Spa, Western Gailes, Old Head and Turnberry. He has been obsessed with the sport since the age of 8 and currently plays off of a six handicap. His golfing highlights are making albatross on the 9th hole on the Hotchkin Course at Woodhall Spa, shooting an under-par round, playing in the Aramco Team Series on the Ladies European Tour and making his one and only hole-in-one at the age of 15 - a long time ago now!


Elliott is currently playing:


Driver: Titleist TSR4

3 wood: Titleist TSi2

Hybrids: Titleist 816 H1

Irons: Mizuno MP5 5-PW

Wedges: Cleveland RTX ZipCore 50, 54, 58

Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG #5

Ball: Srixon Z Star XV