The number of golf courses per million people can vary significantly depending on the country and its cultural relationship with the sport. Globally, there are approximately 38,000 golf courses as of 2021, with the United States hosting the largest number, around 24,000 courses.

To calculate the average number of golf courses per million people, we can use the following formula:

Number of golf courses per million = (Total number of golf courses / Total population) * 1,000,000

Let’s look at a few examples:

• United States: With a population of about 331 million people and approximately 24,000 golf courses, the calculation is:

    (24,000 / 331,000,000) * 1,000,000 ≈ 72.4 golf courses per million people
    

• Canada: Canada has around 2,300 golf courses and a population of approximately 38 million. Thus:

    (2,300 / 38,000,000) * 1,000,000 ≈ 60.5 golf courses per million people
    

• United Kingdom: The UK, with about 1,800 golf courses and a population of roughly 67 million, gives us:

    (1,800 / 67,000,000) * 1,000,000 ≈ 26.9 golf courses per million people
    

• Japan: Japan has around 2,400 golf courses with a population of about 126 million, resulting in:

    (2,400 / 126,000,000) * 1,000,000 ≈ 19.0 golf courses per million people
    

From these examples, we can see that the United States has the highest density of golf courses per million people, followed by Canada, the UK, and Japan. This disparity can be attributed to several factors, including:

• Cultural Popularity: Golf is more ingrained in the culture of some countries, particularly in the U.S. and Canada.
• Geographical Availability: Countries with vast open spaces and favorable climates tend to have more golf courses.
• Economic Factors: The cost of land and the economic viability of maintaining a golf course can influence the number of courses available.

In conclusion, while the average number of golf courses per million people varies widely, it highlights how the sport's popularity and accessibility can differ from one country to another. For further reading, you can refer to resources such as the National Golf Foundation and Statista for updated statistics and insights into the golf industry.