⛳FORE THE CULTURE 

Something’s been catching our attention over the last few months: golf is having a cultural moment that goes way beyond the fairway. From Gap’s limited-edition collaboration with golf lifestyle brand Malbon Golf, to the launch of Stick starring Owen Wilson on AppleTV, to the PGA TOUR’s release of the Ultimate Golf Simulator on Roblox and Topgolf’s expansion into Jakarta – promoted with a virtual golf experience of its own – the sport is suddenly everywhere. 

At first glance, it looks like golf is just having its main character moment. But the real story is about what Gen Z is actually buying into…

In the US, golf’s reach is up 30% since 2016, according to the National Golf Foundation, with players getting younger and more diverse. The highest level of participation came from adults 18 to 34, while 28% were female and 25% were Black, Asian or Hispanic (the highest proportions ever recorded). The obvious read? Young people are looking for alcohol-free socializing or a new approach to self care. But that’s not the full story. 

Here’s what the numbers don’t say: for many young players, golf isn’t about birdies and bogeys. It’s about what the sport represents – exclusivity, old money and an aspirational lifestyle that’s mostly out of reach thanks to the threat of a recession (among other factors). For a demographic all too familiar with uncertainty, coded status pursuits like golf allow participants to emulate a lifestyle that’s beyond their means. It’s something  Vogue Business refers to as ‘lifestyle creep’.

This aspirational cosplay extends beyond the golf course. It’s the sentiment that’s driving a resurgence of interest in everything from boat shoes to knitted polo shirts 👕. You can draw a direct line between #OldMoney, which first started trending on TikTok in 2024 and now has more than 2.2 M posts on Instagram, and newer movements like the boom boom aesthetic and 80s cosplay. Affording this flashy, gilded lifestyle is another story entirely. Enter resale: earlier this year, eBay reported that Louis Vuitton topped the platform’s most wanted list. Aspiration always finds a way. 

What seems to be playing out is a young generation that is fundamentally reimagining aspiration and how they relate to it. Recent research found that 87% of global Gen Z consider financial independence important, but only 31% are excited about their future lives (in fact, 34% harbor deep fears about the future 😱). For a growing number, aspirational cosplay – whether that’s playing golf or donning 80s era power suits – is a form of emotional relief. A way to access something that seems further out of reach while simultaneously performing the symbols of that lifestyle.

For those of you born before 1997, ‘fax, no printer‘ is Gen Z speak for ‘undeniable facts I agree with’

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