Maybe the sky isn’t quite the limit for golf in China.
David Townend, the director of Troon Golf’s operations in Asia and Australia, estimates that there are currently just 700,000 golfers in the People’s Republic, far less than many others believe, and that only half of them have actually played on a golf course. (So far, they’ve been limited to playing at driving ranges.) What’s more, Townend tells the Wall Street Journal that he thinks China won’t exceed 1,500 courses, which is just 900 more than the existing number.
It’s also worth noting that if Townend’s numbers are correct, then China’s 600 existing golf courses each cater to fewer than 600 golfers.