Oregon’s $2.4 Billion Golf Economy Punches Above Its Weight

BANDON, OREGON, UNITED STATES – The 148 yard, par 3, 11th hole on the Pacific Dunes Course, designed by Tom Doak. (Photo by David Cannon/Getty Images)

Getty Images

Getting to Bandon Dunes isn’t exactly a quick hop and a wedge shot. Yet the trek to the quarter-century-old coastal golf mecca—where players walk instead of ride, with electric carts reserved for those who truly need them—has become a rite of passage for club-toting travelers chasing a genuine links experience without crossing the Atlantic.

Making the pilgrimage takes a degree of commitment: with the nearest airport offering just a handful of flights in peak season, most make the four-hour drive from Portland to reach six wind-whipped links and a pair of par-3 layouts—a pure golf junkie’s playground.

Sure, the trip may not come close to rivaling the grueling push fur traders or migrating families once made along the Oregon Trail, but there’s an ounce of that same pioneer spirit baked into the journey. Every arrival, especially those originating from the east coast, feels earned. Every round, a just reward for answering golf’s call to adventure.

Bandon, so popular it now uses a lottery-style drawing for reservations, is a cornerstone of Oregon’s golf economy, but it’s far from the whole story. The Beaver State boasts 172 courses, and according to a recently released economic impact report by Buffalo Groupe Research, Oregon’s golf industry generated $2.4 billion in economic activity last year, supported 18,000 jobs, and contributed $252 million in state and local taxes.

These figures, including a 19% leap in participation to 5.3 million rounds played, up from 4.5 million in 2019, carve a modern-day trail of opportunity across Oregon’s diverse landscapes, from the high desert of Bend to the windswept dunes of the coast.

Just as settlers once pressed west along the Oregon Trail in search of new horizons, golfers and investors now chart a course across the state, fueling tourism, real estate growth, and innovative sustainability practices along the way.

“This week we had our annual meeting and one of the tidbits I got to share was that OGA members and we have roughly 60,000 of them, posted almost 1.6 million rounds of golf year-to-date—that’s posted rounds, not played rounds,” said Rick Rangel, CEO of the Oregon Golf Association. “That’s up 8% over the year prior.”

According to Buffalo Groupe Research, Oregon stands out among the eight states it has studied for having tourism spending impact on golf outpace in-state, residential, “tee-it-up after work and on weekends spending” by local golfers

“Golf facilities represent 30% of the overall impact versus 35% for tourism. In every other state studied, golf facilities and the spending in and around the course are typically the largest sector,” Sara Killeen, Managing Director at Buffalo Groupe Research, explained.

Oregon’s golf industry ecosystem also punches above its weight with a bevy of industry names calling the state home. Buffalo’s research found that a fifth of golf ‘s economic value to Oregon is derived from wholesale and retail companies, including area-players like Adidas, Nike, Columbia Sports, Payntr Golf, Seamus Golf, Jones Bags, and, L.A.B Golf—the fast growing putter manufacturer which this summer garnered a $200 million investment from private equity firm L. Cotteron.

“L.A.B Golf, based in Creswell, Oregon, is currently the hottest putter in the world, skyrocketing in the last 18 months to being one of the top five putter brands in the U.S. golf market,” Killeen said, adding that turfseed growers in the Willamette valley are a leading supplier of the country’s cool-season seeds, supporting bentgrass, ryegrass, fescues, and bluegrass.

Keeping It Green

“Roughly 10% of Oregon courses have removed turfgrass in the past five years, and nearly all have replaced it with native vegetation,” said Killeen. “It’s part of a broader movement toward naturalized, sustainable landscapes that conserve water and reduce chemical inputs.”

Other eco-friendly trends are taking root across Oregon’s fairways. Shortland Golf Club, a facility with a par 3 course and a chip & putt, utilizes artificial turf and number of synthetic bunkers to dial back water usage while keeping playing conditions consistent. Roughly a quarter have undergone energy audits and made upgrades that trimmed their power consumption. Many also follow best management practices to protect local habitats and reduce chemical use, with about one in three now using evaporation tables to fine-tune irrigation while most now applying even less water than recommended, which further conserves resources.

“In Oregon, sustainability isn’t just a box to check,” Rangel said. “You see it in our license plate with the tree.” He higlighted Tetherow in Central Oregon, which removed 80 acres of irrigated turf in favor of natural vegetation, and Silvies Valley Ranch, famous for its goat caddies. “That’s a really neat attraction,” he said. “Where else can you go where your caddie isn’t human?”

Rangel added that the state’s commitment to conservation runs deep, noting that 86% of Oregon golf facilities have either maintained or reduced water use in recent years. “Leaving that footprint better than what you found it—sustainability is something that we believe in, in Oregon,” he said.

Looking ahead, Rangel expects the state’s golf boom to keep building alongside Oregon’s broader outdoor recreation economy. “We’re seeing continued growth in publicly accessible courses,” he said. “What’s happening at Bandon Dunes—where the lottery to get in is now booking into 2027” is evidence of that demand. He also noted migration trends bolstering Central Oregon.

“More people are relocating here from out of state for the sunshine and the high desert lifestyle,” he said.

Oregon already ranks among the top states for outdoor recreation, and golf is becoming an increasingly important driver of that story—fueling tourism, innovation and growth.