In 2020, a major shift happened. It wasn’t televised. Heck, it wasn’t even really noticed.
And what was that shift?
As of 2019, Millennials outnumber Baby Boomers. 72 million to 71 million.
What does that mean for the typical club? It means that the same tried and true methods are no longer the way to attract and retain new members. The National Golf Foundation has published that club membership among Millennials has gone down 36% from the early 90s.
So, what can you do to attract and retain the younger generations? There are two pillars that modern clubs need to build their efforts on. Technology and community.
Younger prospects simply expect technology to be integrated into the experience
The younger generations grew up in a different world than Baby Boomers. They are the digital generations. They grew up experiencing the comforts and efficiencies that technology could deliver. Here are a few examples of the expectations that have been created by the technology:
- Smartphones – Smartphones are ubiquitous and we all rely on them for so much. We order food. We pay bills. Communicate with friends. Look up information. Receive notices. And more. It is amazing how much we use them in our daily lives. And research shows that that usage increases as you move from Boomers to Gen X to Millennials to Gen Z. For the younger generations, a mobile experience is not a nice-to-have feature. It’s a must-have.
- An integrated seamless experience – Technology has conditioned the younger generations to expect everything to be available, anytime and anywhere. That’s a big shift from the old days. Reservations, payment of bills, and changes in membership status are a few examples of tasks that Baby Boomers would have just expected to stand in line for. The younger generations expect everything to be in one database and all the parts of the club – from the golf course to the kitchen to the back office – connected and communicating.
- Personalization – Think of them as the Amazon generations. Younger prospects are used to an environment where their preferences are remembered, creating an experience that feels highly personalized. The online store Amazon, for example, remembers what they like and tailors the store to their needs and wants. It’s not fair that they should compare the experience that your club management software delivers to the experience created by a company with such vast resources. But they do.
There are people of all ages that love technology. It’s just that there are more of them in the younger generations. Whether it’s their car or their home, they gravitate to the newest thing out there. They expect total integration with every experience. And, they have that same expectation from the experience at your club.
The evolution of the idea of community
We all crave social interaction. It’s vital to our well-being. The club is a classic example of an ideal setting for fulfilling that need for social connection.
That need has not changed through the years. But how the younger generation is getting that need met has shifted. Social media has driven the change. According to statista.com, 77% of Facebook users log in daily. And by far the largest demographic using Facebook is, of course, Millennials and Gen-Z. And it’s not just watching cat videos. Younger members also expect to be able to keep up with their friends. Thus, they want to have a dialogue, want to be able to interact and want to be engaged. In short, social media has extended the interactions beyond any physical location.
Clubs must take note and adapt, building these functionalities into their technology offerings. Here are some examples from the club management software of premier providers:
- Chat functionality that allows members to quickly message each other from the club’s app
- Instagram-like interface for club members to scroll through activities and news
- Push notifications from the club alerting them about an upcoming reservation and other timely reminders
- Texting capabilities
- Functionality to allow members to easily plan a get together with friends – all from the app or website
Building your club’s future
Research shows that the younger generations have a preference for investing in experiences over possessions. That’s great news. Because there is no better place to foster the kind of experiences they seek than your club setting.
Now it’s just a matter of taking an approach that delivers the technology and community-building. These are the two pillars. The pillars that will foster that feeling of connectedness the younger prospects desire. The pillars that will help you build the next generation of members at your club.
What the Latest Numbers Are Telling Clubs Right Now
The conversation around younger members has moved well past theory. The data is in, and it is more urgent than most clubs have acted on. According to 2025 Golf Industry Report, 74% of golfers aged 18–34 are now planning to purchase a membership or season pass, a figure that holds steady regardless of household income bracket. That is not a fringe demographic showing tentative interest. That is a generation actively deciding that club membership fits the life they are building. Clubs in high-demand markets are already seeing it on the ground, with some reporting that their median visitor age has dropped by nearly eight years since 2019.
What is driving the shift? Generation Z, the oldest of whom turn 29 in 2026. They are founding companies, inheriting wealth, and making long-term lifestyle decisions right now. And they are evaluating clubs through a lens that looks almost nothing like their parents’ generation. What they are looking for, at its core, is not so different from what every generation has sought: genuine community, excellent experiences, and a sense of belonging to something meaningful. The difference is how they expect those things to be delivered through technology that feels intuitive, communication that feels personal, and a digital experience that matches the quality of the physical one.
Millennial and Gen Z memberships are projected to double by 2030, which means every club reading this is either building the infrastructure to receive that wave or watching it pass by. The two pillars discussed in this blog, technology and community are not strategic options for the future. They are the baseline expectation, right now, for the prospects already looking at your club.
The Northstar complete club management software solution delivers the technology and community-building functionality that your younger prospects not only desire but expect. The solution is built on one database, delivering connectivity across your operation that empowers you to deliver an unrivalled personalized experience to your members. Experience it for yourself – Request a demo of the Northstar Technologies solution today.
