Is the Golf Boom Here to Stay? | The Whole Pro Podcast

Welcome back to The Whole Pro Podcast, presented by the Tennessee Section PGA — with Jim Vernon (former TN Section President) and Virgil Herring (2x TN Section Teacher of the Year).Record numbers are in: 549 million rounds of golf were played in the U.S. in 2025, and 2026 is on pace to beat it. That’s six straight years of historic demand… with about 2,000 fewer golf courses than the early 2000s. So Jim and Virgil ask the question every PGA professional, operator, and golfer is thinking: Is the golf boom here to stay? Recorded at the new indoor facility at BLVD Golf Club in Old Hickory, Tennessee, this episode covers: Why COVID created a lasting habit (not just a temporary spike) The difference between drinking from a fire hose and actually watering the garden Retention vs. development — and why “everybody trying to be Butch Harmon” is a problem Developmental coaches, elite coaches, and the scientists who support both Why Middle Tennessee (and many markets) is vastly underserved on public golf Simulators, Topgolf, PuttShack, and whether off-course golf should count as rounds Celebrities like LeBron James, Jason Kelce, Kevin Hart, and Tom Holland making the game feel accessible Tee-time scarcity, the $100 public-round debate, and the old “$17 with a cart” memory Time, cost, difficulty, and life changes — the same barriers that have always existed The RED framework: Retain core players, Engage lapsed golfers, Develop new ones The Whole Pro Podcast is presented by the Tennessee Section PGA, with support from Unknown Golf and Yamaha Golf Cars. Learn more at unknowngolf.com and yamahagolfcar.com Check out BLVD Golf Club in Old Hickory, Tennessee.