Golf Courses and Country Clubs Revenue Benchmarks
The average golf courses and country clubs business in the United States generates $2.9M in annual revenue, according to the U.S. Census Bureau Statistics of U.S. Businesses (SUSB 2021). There are 9,112 golf courses and country clubs businesses in the U.S., employing 275,162 workers with an average profit margin of 12.0%. The average employee in this industry earns $34K per year (Bureau of Labor Statistics QCEW 2023).
What Does a Golf Courses and Country Clubs Business Actually Do?
Public golf courses (daily-fee) and private country clubs. Public earns per round; private earns on initiation + dues. F&B, events, and pro shop are meaningful additional revenue.
Who buys: Recreational golfers, corporate outings (public), affluent members (private).
Average Revenue
$2.9M
per year
Profit Margin
12.0%
industry average
Revenue / Employee
$97K
per year
Total Businesses
9,112
in the US
Est. Owner Income
$351K
small business avg
Labor Cost
40.0%
of revenue
Avg Employee Wage
$34K
per year (BLS)
Market Saturation
2.7
firms per 100K people
How Much Do Golf Courses and Country Clubs Charge?
Golf courses earn on greens fees, cart rentals, memberships, and food & beverage.
| Service | Typical range |
|---|---|
Public course greens fee (weekday) | $25–75 |
Public course greens fee (weekend) | $40–125 |
Cart rental | $15–35 per round |
Country club initiation | $5,000–150,000+ |
Country club monthly dues | $300–2,500/month |
Range balls (bucket) | $8–20 |
Ranges based on industry rate surveys and typical published pricing. Actual quotes vary by city, business size, and job complexity.
Complete golf courses and country clubs business plan
A 12-section data-backed business plan for a golf courses and country clubs business — executive summary, market analysis, competitive landscape, revenue model, 3-year financial projections, operations, marketing, staffing, funding request. Pre-populated with real Census, IRS, and BLS data on this industry. Free to view.
Cost Structure — Where Every $100 in Revenue Goes
Approximate P&L breakdown for the golf courses and country clubs industry. Labor share and net profit are grounded in Census SUSB and IRS SOI data. Other lines are split using sector-typical ratios.
| Category | Per $100 revenue | Per typical business | What's in it |
|---|---|---|---|
Production & performer costs | $14 | $422K | Talent fees, equipment rentals, production supplies, licensing/royalties. |
Wages & benefits | $40 | $1.2M | Payroll for all employees at the business (owner comp not included for small owner-operators). |
Rent & facilities | $10 | $281K | Rent or mortgage on business location plus utilities tied to the space. |
Marketing & advertising | $5 | $141K | Google/Meta ads, SEO, print, referral fees, event sponsorships. |
Other operating costs | $19 | $562K | Insurance, ticketing fees, venue maintenance, security. |
Net profit | $12 | $351K | What remains for the owner or shareholders after all business expenses. |
Directionally accurate for a typical business in the industry. Individual businesses vary widely — a franchise may run a very different cost mix from an independent, and older established businesses often have lower labor share than newer ones.
Average Revenue by Business Size
Industry Dynamics (Census BDS 2023)
New Business Rate
11.9%
openings/year
Closure Rate
9.33%
closings/year
Net Job Growth
+7.8%
annual
Businesses Closed
5,419
in 2023
Firm Count Trend
Should You Start a Golf Courses and Country Clubs Business?
Startup Cost
$50K – $250K
Break-Even
5 months
5-Year Survival Rate
50.0%
Related Industries
Frequently Asked Questions
- What does a golf courses and country clubs business do?
- Public golf courses (daily-fee) and private country clubs. Public earns per round; private earns on initiation + dues. F&B, events, and pro shop are meaningful additional revenue. Recreational golfers, corporate outings (public), affluent members (private).
- How much do golf courses and country clubs charge?
- Golf courses earn on greens fees, cart rentals, memberships, and food & beverage. See the pricing table above for typical rates by service type.
- How much does the average golf courses and country clubs make per year?
- The average golf courses and country clubs business generates $2.9M in annual revenue, based on U.S. Census Bureau data (SUSB 2021). After expenses, the estimated owner profit is $351K per year at a 12.0% profit margin.
- How many golf courses and country clubs businesses are there in the US?
- There are 9,112 golf courses and country clubs businesses operating in the United States, employing a total of 275,162 workers.
- How much does it cost to start a golf courses and country clubs business?
- Startup costs for a golf courses and country clubs business typically range from $50K to $250K, with a 5-year survival rate of 50.0%.
- What is the average salary in the golf courses and country clubs industry?
- The average employee in the golf courses and country clubs industry earns $34K per year, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data (QCEW 2023).
Industry Growth & Survival
The golf courses and country clubs industry is actively growing — adding jobs at a net rate of 7.8% per year. New establishments are opening faster than existing ones close (11.9% entry vs 9.3% exit), indicating healthy demand.
Approximately 61% of golf courses and country clubs businesses survive their first 5 years. This is above the national average (~50%), making it a relatively safe industry to enter. In 2023, 5,419 firms in this industry closed permanently.
Employment & Wages
The average employee in the golf courses and country clubs industry earns $34,397/year. This is below the national average of ~$65K — typical for this sector. With 11,077 establishments employing 413,213 people, the typical business has about 37 employees.
Industry Trend (2000–2023)
The golf courses and country clubs industry has grown 33% since 2000 (from 44,720 to 59,619 firms).
See full historical statistics →Compare Golf Courses and Country Clubs revenue with other industries: