The sport of golf has received a huge boost in exposure by featuring in the 2016 Rio Games - making its return to the Olympics after 112 years.

In addition there are drives to further the development of the game in Asia, while in Europe, including the UK, action is being taken to introduce the sport to a new playing demographic, including women and children.

But in the US, the number of golf players has declined from 30 million in 2005 to roughly 24 million last year, and that has provided a problem for major equipment manufacturers, as the nation accounts for half of all players and courses in the world.

So it may come as no surprise that within the past few months sports equipment giants Nike and Adidas have announced that they are looking to exit their golf club businesses. Although interestingly both are going to remain in the golf footwear and clothing markets.

Declining participation numbers in the game's biggest market means that other sports such as athletics and basketball offer more attractive opportunities for sales growth.


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