Golf is more popular than ever, with the National Golf Foundation (NGF) reporting a record number of players in 2025 – 48.1 million – and the European Golf Association announcing a 4% increase in registered golfers in Europe, to more than 4.9 million in the same year. One contributor? The growing participation among 18-34 year olds – now the largest on-course age group in the US. For golf clubs and resort destinations, that shift represents a significant opportunity. However, capturing it requires understanding what this younger demographic actually wants, and how differently they engage with the game. One European Tour Destination seeing this shift firsthand is The Dutch, a private members’ club an hour from Amsterdam, where the average member age has fallen from 56 to 52 in under a decade – compared with a Dutch national average of 67. But the club’s strategy is about more than simply lowering the average age. Its under-40 memberships are aimed primarily at business owners, executives, professionals and high-potential talent who value quality, convenience and access to a relevant network. We spoke to Phil Helsby, the club’s General Manager, to find out what the commercial opportunity truly is and how other clubs and resorts can capitalise on it. The commercial opportunity isn’t just on the tee sheet In the modern era, according to Helsby, golf clubs are no longer competing against the course down the road. They are competing against the entire spectrum of lifestyle choices. For the millennial and Gen-Z professional, the decision is not which club to join, but whether golf is a better use of limited time than travel, fitness or family. A critical insight he shares is that a younger demographic does not equate to a lower-value one. Data from The Dutch reveals a significant shift in playing characteristics: since 2018, average rounds played per member fell from 36 to 30, yet total spend per visit increased. This signals a transition from a volume-based model to an experience-led value model. “The average spend of the younger generation is high,” Helsby explains. “What they spend per round – not only on the golf but on food and beverage – has increased.” To capture this, venues must ensure revenue follows the person rather than just the tee sheet. Therefore, elevating the culinary and social environment to match the high-end expectations of members who may only play 2-3 times per month is important. For a demographic whose greatest constraint is often time, this ability to combine sport, business and social connection within a single visit is a significant part of the club’s value. Flexibility matters, but so does time efficiency. Flexible membership models The Dutch has developed a tiered membership structure specifically designed for those under 40, built around flexibility and social connection. “We have two different types of memberships for this demographic, because a one-size-fits-all model doesn’t work for them,” says Helsby. “The first is our Off-Peak package, which gives members access to the course just outside working hours, from 4pm

We caught up with the club’s General Manager, Philippe Pilato, to find out what’s happening ahead of the reopening on September 1st, 2026. In this video, Philippe explains the following points which he expands on below: The holes affected by the aptly-named Metro Line 18 The project’s biggest challenges The opportunities for improvement the works engendered Tell us about the work being carried out at Le Golf National: “After hosting the golf event at the Olympic Games and the French Open in 2024, we closed the Albatros course for a major renovation. This was due to a new construction project by the Greater Paris Metro to build a new line – Line 18. Like 18 holes, easy to remember! “It will connect Paris Orly Airport to Versailles, and we’ll have a station just 300 metres from reception, which will be a great opportunity for welcoming guests and hosting big events in the future. “The construction of this new Metro line meant we had to redesign hole 4, as it runs very close to Line 18. As a result, we also moved hole 5, and took the opportunity to make changes to hole 6 too, which we felt was actually the weakest on the course. It was short with no hazards – so we added bunkers and made it a drivable par 4 for big events, with the green oriented wider rather than longer. In fact, we added 17 bunkers across those three holes. “Although the major works were on holes 4, 5 and 6, we took the opportunity to tweak holes 1, 2 and 9, as well as holes 13 through 18. On holes 1, 2, 15 and 18, we replaced the timber walls around the greens, which also gave us the opportunity to redesign those four greens. “As sustainability is a key focus for us at Le Golf National, we decided to also make the change to bentgrass across the entire course. With summers getting hotter and droughts becoming more frequent, this type of grass will allow us to use less water, especially when restrictions are in place. “So, we embraced this project as an opportunity to proactively modernise the course, enhance our sustainability, and elevate the playing experience for both our customers and professional players.” How did you balance redesigning the course for the average golfer, whilst keeping it tough enough for professionals? “Balancing the requirements of a championship course suited to both professionals and the average golfer is a delicate exercise. If it’s too challenging or not challenging enough can leave customers dissatisfied and not wanting to return. “Le Golf National is a narrow golf course, which can prove challenging for the average golfer. With this in mind, we’ve introduced autonomous mowers to better control the length of the rough and make conditions more manageable for guests. Then, when we set up for professional tournaments, we can simply adjust the course accordingly. “We’ve also built new tee boxes on certain holes to make the round more enjoyable

The project was necessitated by the construction of the new Paris Metro line – aptly named Line 18 – which connects Paris-Orly Airport with Versailles. We caught up with the man behind the transformation – course architect Russell Talley – to discuss the scale of the project, the importance of a strong design strategy and what golfers can expect when the course reopens in September 2026. Photo credit: French Golf Federation Q: How did you come to be involved with the project and what was your reaction? “It was an honour to be chosen as the golf course architect by the French Golf Federation (FFG),” said Talley. “I worked with this dynamic organisation in 2020. It was the same people involved this time, so we were familiar with each other and how we operated. “The enormity of the Line 18 earthworks and civil engineering works was truly eye-opening for me at this stage of my long career. But my reaction was the same as with any of my projects: there was a job to do to the highest order.” Q: What was the biggest challenge of the project? “The civil engineering impact of Line 18, which affected holes 4, 5, 6, nearly all of the 7-hole Oiselet Course and half of the Stadium Short Game Area of Excellence, presented an unprecedented challenge,” Talley explained. “The biggest task was not just reacting to the construction, but ensuring the new design created a seamless transition from the remnants of the finished project. Photo credit: French Golf Federation “There were many meetings with Société des Grand Projets at the beginning, before the final construction contract was awarded to French engineering group Bouygues. More concrete design details were then drawn up, enabling us to better visualise what the Line’s finished earthworks and levels would be and how we could shape our course redesign.”   Q: Tell us more about the changes to the affected holes? “Our goal was to enhance the playing experience by introducing more movement and subtle topographical interest, particularly on the greens, through varied slopes and counter-slopes,” said Russell. “This adds strategic depth and a wider variety of pin positions and shot options.  “For example, the new large mound to the right of the new 4th hole – a byproduct of the construction – turned a straight hole into a more engaging dog-leg left. Previously, that part of the course was hardly visited; now it’s a very walkable hole and provides wonderful vantage points over holes 4, 5, and 6.  “For the 5th and 6th, we focused on injecting challenge and interest that the original layout lacked, creating a much more strategic test. “The club also took the opportunity to make changes and improvements to other parts of the course, while it was closed.” Photo credit: French Golf Federation Q: How have you balanced it being a good test for professionals and playable for amateurs? “The Albatros Course has a prestigious history of hosting multiple French Opens, The 2018 Ryder Cup, the

Today’s golfer, particularly travelling golfers, women, younger players and non-members, judges an experience long before they reach the first tee. They judge it from the website, the digital interaction they might have had with the venue, the physical arrival experience, the atmosphere, the welcome, lighting, signage, the retail offering and whether the overall environment simply feels comfortable. Increasingly, the most successful golf destinations in the world have recognised this shift. Reflecting on the comments of human behavioural psychologist Stephen Smith on behavioural neuroscience and customer psychology, what stands out is how they don’t just  align with what the leading clubs and resorts are already beginning to do – they provide the essential scientific validation for it.  The most forward-thinking venues are no longer just designing golf clubs; they are implementing designs for emotional experiences. This approach translates into creating spaces that explicitly feel open, welcoming and intuitive. It means understanding that guests want ease, comfort and confidence immediately upon arrival. Furthermore, it confirms that seemingly small details – such as natural light, clear visibility, seamless flow, warmth of greeting, genuine inclusivity and precise retail positioning – can have a huge impact on customers’ behaviours and how long they stay. Across our network, we are registering a serious, sustained investment by our Destinations into this crucial side of the business, and the commercial results are incredibly positive. A great example is at Europe’s leading golf resort, Costa Navarino in Greece, where the retail and clubhouse experience has become a major part of the overall guest journey. The strategic pro-shop revamp wasn’t simply about selling more products; it was engineered to create an environment people actively choose to spend time. The result has been a significant increase in retail revenues and guest engagement. A similar commercial success story is unfolding at Camiral, the 2031 Ryder Cup host venue, an hour north of Barcelona. Careful attention has been paid to the flow between golf, hospitality and retail. The resulting space is modern, open, with a premium finish, and its commercial impact has been substantial. The redesigned retail experience has driven major growth in pro-shop sales while also reinforcing the resort’s wider brand identity. From an architectural perspective, several network venues are establishing new global standards.  Palmares Ocean Living & Golf in the Algarve won the Clubhouse of the Year Award at the 2025 World Golf Awards. Its stunning design is a direct application of the science, purposefully engineered to appeal to the emotional brain that Stephen references. La Hacienda Links Golf Resort, on the Costa del Sol with unique views of the sea and across the bay to Gibraltar, is famous for its award-winning halfway house, which features a  bright, open entrance and compelling views that counteract primal fears of darkness and enclosure. Similarly, in northern France, Le Touquet Golf Resort’s clubhouse employs expansive windows, flooding the space with natural light to create an inviting, safe environment. Historically, golf has failed to prioritise these design principles.Too many clubhouses were constructed around the expectations