CHICAGO, July 29, 2025 – The big story for the U.S. golf equipment business in 2025 comes from a humble and daresay often overlooked piece of gear in a golfer’s bag: the lone putter. Within golf specialty and green grass shops, dollar sales of putters grew a notable 23% from January through June 2025, compared to the same period in 2024, according to Golf Datatech, a Circana company. Putters are also experiencing growth at mass and sporting goods retailers, according to Retail Tracking data from Circana – up 17% from January through June 2025, versus one year ago. To put these figures into perspective, no other golf club segment is experiencing double-digit growth so far this year.

“The putter is a great case study of success for the golf equipment business,” said Phil Barnard, VP at Golf Datatech, a Circana company. “The explosive growth in putters is driven by innovations in the ‘zero torque’ space, with several brands launching their own versions within the past year. This trend exemplifies the power of new technology to create excitement that translates to sales in even the most unexpected places of our golf bag. However, retailers and brands must remain vigilant; as higher price points push dollar sales up, units aren’t moving as quickly, especially in mass merchants and sporting goods stores. Balancing advancements in technology while also being accessible will be paramount for sustained success.”

Looking across the overall market, golf equipment sales in specialty and green grass shops were off to a hot start in January, with dollar sales up 14% over January 2024, but growth has tempered as consumers exercise caution around tariff impacts, with year-to-date sales growing by 7% through June. Within specialty retail, golf clubs led the charge with a 6% sales gain, while consumables such as balls and gloves increased by 3%. In contrast, mass and sporting goods channels experienced more modest growth, with equipment sales inching up just 1%. Club sales in these channels grew 5%, but that effort was offset by a decline in club sets. Golf balls maintained a steady 3% increase, and golf gloves outperformed with a 5% lift.