The Economic Impact of Golf In South Carolina

In 1786, America’s first golf course was built in Charleston, South Carolina. Today, there are over 350 golf courses around the state in settings that vary from ocean views and marshes on the coast to mountain vistas in the upstate. Golf Digest ranks South Carolina among the nation’s top golf destinations. Golf generates more income than any other single entertainment or recreation activity in South Carolina. In 2015, golf courses and the off-course expenditures of visiting golfers had a total economic impact (direct, indirect and induced) in South Carolina of: $2.705 billion in output or sales, 33,188 jobs, $881 million in personal income, and $270 million in federal, state and local taxes