Golf’s Glowup: The Atlanta Golf Trends Changing The Game
For generations, Atlanta golf has been associated with dress codes, proper etiquette, elite membership clubs and expensive equipment. In turn, the game can feel exclusive, intimidating and unwelcoming for the uninitiated. Now, that perception is changing. Following a boom in players during the pandemic, Atlanta golf trends show a rise in new technology and social media influencers, helping to bring the sport out of the country clubs and into the hands of anyone ready to take a swing.
Atlanta Golf Trends
“Golf is truly having its moment—participation is at record highs, and new age groups and demographics are embracing the sport,” says Will McNaughton, the Clubs Merchant at the Atlanta-based PGA TOUR Superstore since 2009. He has witnessed golf’s evolution firsthand, working directly with manufacturers to offer clubs for every level and age group of play.
He points to data from the National Golf Foundation, which reported that the number of traditional, on-course golfers reached 28.1 million in 2024, marking a record-high level since 2008. Of that total, 28% were female and 25% were Black, Asian or Hispanic—the largest proportions ever recorded for these segments.
“The game is sustaining its popularity among all age groups because it has become more accessible than ever. People are playing for the fun of the game and experiencing golf in different ways,” McNaughton notes, crediting golf-entertainment venues like TopGolf, as well as simulators and virtual-reality environments, for making the basics of the sport feel more approachable. Gone are the days when booking a tee time was the only way to play golf. Anyone can work on their swing without even stepping onto a course.
Fresh Faces and Fashion Trends
Golf fashion is getting a major glow-up. With more players craving comfort and self-expression, big brands are taking notice. Adidas recently dropped its “Originals” line just in time for the Masters, celebrating today’s more laid back, style-forward approach to golf—and even nudging some clubs to rethink those stiff dress codes.
Driving these trends? A wave of golf influencers who are making the sport look cooler than ever. Atlanta-based pro Shasta Averyhardt is one to watch. With nearly 17,000 Instagram followers, she shares everything from tournament recaps to travel adventures, giving fans a front-row seat to the game and the lifestyle that comes with it.
Other leading organizations, such as Black Girls Golf and Ladies Who Golf, represent broader communities, with the goal of empowering women to feel confident and find success on and off the golf course. More than an online network, these groups regularly gather for in-person events; for instance, Ladies Who Golf partnered with Five Iron Golf in June to host weekly nights of complimentary wine and swing practice in honor of Women’s Golf Month.
Black Girls Golf founder Tiffany Mack Fitzgerald says the group was born out of her frustration. “I was working in corporate America and saw firsthand how many relationships were being cultivated and nurtured on the golf course. This was a space I wasn’t invited into or even aware of,” she recalls, noting that no one in her family had played the sport. When she went looking for a community of like-minded women to play with, she couldn’t find one—so she created it. “When I finally picked up a club, I realized how powerful golf could be; not just professionally, but personally,” Fitzgerald adds. “It challenges your patience, your confidence, and your mindset.
And I fell in love with what it was teaching me about myself.”
What started in 2013 as a meetup has turned into much more—Black Girls Golf is a movement with six chapters nationwide on a mission to create access, community and joy around golf for Black women. Now, a dozen years later, Fitzgerald is seeing more women and more young people represented—not just as players, but as instructors, content creators and influencers. ”We’re starting to show up in the places that shape the culture of golf. And I love seeing that.”
For Fitzgerald, the key to “social media” is the “social” part. “People are craving community and balance,” she says, pointing out that people are also rethinking what wellness looks like. “For many, that included walking a course, getting some sun, and spending intentional time with others. And with programs like Black Girls Golf, and other grassroots programs, creating welcoming on-ramps, the game feels more approachable than ever.”
Where to Learn How to Play Golf In Atlanta
Another way technology is getting new players into the swing of things? By connecting them with top-rated coaches through platforms like TeachMe.To, an online directory for private lessons with golf pros, trainers and instructors.
But it’s not just lessons helping people tee off. Apps like Spark Golf, are helping new players get together by organizing casual, 9-hole competitions at local courses between strangers and soon-to-be friends.
Sometimes, all it takes is an invite to spark a lifelong love of the game. “I had some friends from work planning a golf outing who needed a fourth,” says TeachMe.To coach Michael Gonzales. “They gave me an old set of clubs just to convince me to come.” Even though he had never swung a golf club before in his life, he stepped up to the tee and now helps others to do the same.
As a community coach and part of Alpharetta High School Girls Varsity Golf coaching team, Paul Reynolds also joined TeachMe.To to reach new students. “It’s a convenient way to share my experience with those looking to improve,” he says. Though he got his first clubs at age 7, Reynolds truly fell for golf as a teen working at a local country club. “The camaraderie and love for the game the men’s group had really drew me in,” he recalls.
Reynolds says it’s been encouraging to see the sport become more inclusive and accessible. “Golf is a great way to spend time outdoors, connect with others and challenge yourself—all things that appeal to a broad range of people today,” he says. “Seeing students experience success, like hitting a truly solid shot for the first time, is incredibly fulfilling.”
Kids Golf in Atlanta
In addition to school teams, there are several national organizations with strong Georgia ties, including First Tee, the American Junior Golf Association, U.S. Kids Golf and the PGA Junior League, that are dedicated to ensuring the sport’s longevity through future generations.
Meanwhile, the National Golf Foundation reports a 47% increase in play among juniors over the past five years. Interestingly, the 2025 State of the Golf Industry Report also revealed 51% of Gen Z survey participants reported mental health and self-care as the top reason they were drawn to the sport. “Golf doesn’t have to be exclusive to be elite,” Fitzgerald says. “That realization is opening doors for a new generation of players. Let’s face it, the bread and butter of the golf industry is aging. In order to maintain profitability, golf must evolve.”
McNaughton himself found a new perspective on golf by playing with his 6-year-old twins—a tradition he is passing down from memories with his father and grandfather. “Golf is a great way [for kids] to get outside, boost mental, physical and social wellbeing, and develop solid life skills like patience and discipline that will be beneficial.” When playing together, he aims to be present in the moment. Instead of focusing on precision or perfection, his main goal is to reinforce “the fun aspect” to them, in hopes of fostering a lifelong hobby.
Fitzgerald echoes this attitude by encouraging others to show up, unplug and take a shot. “Golf has always been more than a game,” adds Fitzgerald. “It’s a gateway—to opportunity, to self-discovery, to joy. Black Girls Golf is proof that when we create spaces that center inclusion, magic happens.”
Ready to take a swing?
Atlanta golf experts share advice for beginners.
“Start where you are. Don’t worry about fancy clubs or knowing the rules. Find a supportive community like Black Girls Golf, take a lesson, and give yourself grace to be a beginner. The game can be frustrating, but it can also be incredibly healing. Show up, swing ugly and keep going.”
— Tiffany Mack Fitzgerald, founder, Black Girls Golf
“Find a seasoned or professional mentor to help guide you through the complexities of the game. A good coach or mentor will teach you proper mechanics from the beginning, making the game more enjoyable and your progress more consistent. In short: don’t go it alone. The right guidance early on can make all the difference in how much you enjoy and improve in the game.”
— Paul Reynolds, local golf instructor, TeachMe.To
“[As Rodney White said,] ‘Nothing beats a miss but a try.’ Golf is a game that will challenge your ability to think past your mistakes. Much like life, when setbacks come, learn from your mistakes and do better next time until you make fewer mistakes.”
—Michael Gonzales, local golf instructor, TeachMe.To
“Golf is for everyone, and it’s a game you can play your whole life.
So, if you have the itch to start playing golf, the time is now.
If you’re looking for ways to introduce yourself to golf before hitting the links, TopGolf, short courses, putt-putt and simulators make the sport less intimidating and
allow beginners to build their confidence with their swing.”
—Will McNaughton, Clubs Merchant at PGA TOUR Superstore
