In the spring of 2023, Roland DG Americas conducted research to investigate the size and evolution of the market for customized golf merchandise, including the growing opportunity for social media influencers within this market. The research was conducted by Censuswide, who surveyed 1,002 US golfers who play golf at least 12 times a year, a statistically representative sample of the 26.4 million people in the US who meet this criterion. Censuswide abides by and employs members of the Market Research Society which is based on the ESOMAR principles. Below is a summary breakdown of the findings:

Do golfers follow golf or sports influencers on social media?

• A large majority (74%) follow golf or sports-focused influencers on social media.
• When it comes to who hits that follow button the most, 79% of male respondents vs. 64% of female respondents follow golf / sports influencers on social media.
• The vast majority of Gen Z (85%) and Millennials (88%) follow a golf or sports influencer, followed by Gen X (60%) and Boomers (23%).

For those that follow their favorite golf/sports influencers - who has purchased their merchandise?

• A large majority (75%) have made purchases from their favorite influencers.
• Millennials (85%) lead this trend, followed by Gen Z (76%), Gen X (66%), and Boomers (55%).
• Males (78%) are more likely to buy than females (67%).

On average, how much are golfers willing to spend on golf-related merchandise over the course of a year?

• Of the 16-and older US population, a total of 26.4m play golf more than 12 times per year. These core golfers plan to spend an average of $1,517 on golf-related merchandise over the next 12 months – a collective spend of up to $40,047,216,000.
• 35% of respondents plan to spend between $1,000 and $5,000 over the next year.
• 31% of respondents plan to spend between $500 and $1,000 over the next year.
• 27% of respondents plan to spend between $100 and $500 over the next year.

For those who have purchased golf-related merchandise from a golf or sports influencer before, where are they making those purchases?

• Online stores dominate over brick-and-mortar, with a majority preferring to do their shopping virtually.
• 60% of Gen Z shoppers buy directly from social media vs. 45% who visit a brick-and-mortar shop.
• Only 17% of Boomers buy from a social media channel, with 42% of that generation making their purchases at a physical store.

How does golf-related merchandise from social media golf or sports influencers compare to merchandise from traditional golf brands?

• 57% of respondents see influencer merchandise as a complementary addition to their existing golf gear.
• Millennials also have a favorable view of influencer merchandise, with 74% seeing it as complementary compared to only 26% of Boomers.

What motivates those who have purchased golf-related merchandise from an influencer?

• Trust is a big motivator, with 63% saying it's why they buy influencer recommendations.
• 59% think influencers offer more unique products than the mainstream market.
• Men were more likely to be enticed by limited-edition merchandise from their favorite creators, with 62% saying uniqueness was their motivation for purchasing vs the 49% of women who said the same.
• The age gap comes into play here as well, with 71% of Millennials saying they buy because of trust vs. 33% of Boomers.

What type of golf-related merchandise are golfers most interested in?

• Golf Balls (78%)
• Clubs (64%)
• Apparel (hats, shirts, etc.) (58%)

When it comes to purchasing merchandise, how important is it that an influencer is associated with a cause or charity?

• 76% said it's important to them that a golfluencer is associated with a cause or charity when purchasing their merchandise, with 48% specifying it was very important.
• A cause is far more important to Millennials, with 87% saying it makes a difference when purchasing, compared to 41% of Boomers who said the same.

Which social causes or initiatives do golfers most like to see golf influencers be associated with?