The 2025 golf season is complete, and the figures are finalized. We’ve been busy calculating, and now we’re ready to share.
Before you put the clubs away, or zip them into a travel case bound for warmer weather, take a look at the digits that defined your golf season.
Whatever your next move might be, one thing is for certain; the active handicap-posting season in the GAP Region is over.
Active score posting season resumes April 1, 2026.
Total Members:
The radiant golf community within the GAP Region continued to glow in 2025. Total individual GAP memberships rose to 139,488 representing a 10.5% increase from 2024. GAP also added four new Member Clubs to its robust club directory. A warm welcome to Greystone Mountain Golf Club, Mountain Valley Golf Course, The Poconos Club and Twin Woods Golf Course.
Total Rounds Posted: .
Tee sheets were packed in 2025. A total of 2,401,862 rounds were posted to handicap records during the active posting season, which lasted from April 1 to Nov. 14.
Average Handicap Index:
So what is the collective skill level of GAP’s membership? This year’s average Handicap Index remained at 16.8. This figure is a testament to GAP members’ competitive spirit and dedication to the game.
GAP Championships:
GAP’s competitive opportunities are plenty. As is tradition, the competitive season began with the BMW GAP Team Matches. The 123rd edition of the event featured a record-tying 404 teams.
As GAP journeyed through the tournament season, we crossed 145 events off the calendar, including USGA Qualifiers. In fact, a record number of combined GAP Major entrants clocked in at 1,850 for the Middle-Amateur Championship, BMW Philadelphia Amateur Championship, Open Championship and Joseph H. Patterson Cup. Overall tournament participants leveled off at 11,500.
Members dazzled in 2025 competitions. During the Delaware Amateur in June at Plantation Lakes Golf & Country Club, Jake Griffin of the Amateur Golf Society carded the season’s low tournament round score with an 8-under-par 63 during the Final Round.
The BMW GAP Women’s Championship expanded from an 18-hole event to a 54-hole event to comply with World Amateur Golf Ranking (WAGR) eligibility standards. The Association’s premiere women’s amateur offering, formerly conducted alongside the middle-amateur and senior divisions, was contested at Wilmington Country Club (North/South).
During the two-round Championship, the field registered a total of 127 birdies or better.
Volunteers:
The GAP season couldn’t commence without the dedicated support of its volunteers. A total of 461 active volunteers collaborated to fill 1,760 volunteer shifts in 2025. A total of 43 course ratings were completed throughout the GAP Region with volunteer support.
Member Play Days:
A total of 2,704 players participated in 32 Member Play Days. MPDs continue to exemplify GAP’s commitment to supporting the golf community and providing course access.
Youth on Course:
Junior golf is the moment. With new initiatives such as the United States National Development Program (USNDP) Junior Teams, investing in junior golf programming is paramount.
The collective GAP Youth on Course membership number rose to 15,062 members in 2025. This number represents a 109.6% increase from last year. Said members totaled 28,705 rounds, a natural uptick from the 25,000 rounds recorded last year.
Communications: In GAP’s Communications Department, photographers snapped more than 20,000 individual photos during events throughout the season. The 19th year of GAP Magazine, GAP’s quarterly publication, saw 204 pages of written and digital content keeping you informed of the Association’s latest news and notes.
These figures aren’t fiction. Instead, they tell the story of GAP’s active community. Every score posted, every ball teed at a Member Play Day and every putt holed during a GAP competition contributes to GAP’s progression and service to its valued membership.
A huge “thanks for playing” to all who posted, played, competed and engaged with GAP this season. As we hole the final putt of GAP’s 128th season, we look forward to promoting, preserving and protecting in 2026.
We’ll see you all on April 1.
GAP
Celebrating Amateur Golf since 1897, GAP, also known as the Golf Association of Philadelphia, is the oldest regional or state golf association in the United States. It serves as the principal ruling body of amateur golf in its region. The organization’s 345 Member Clubs and 130,000 individual members are spread across Pennsylvania, Delaware, New Jersey and Maryland. The GAP’s mission is to promote, preserve and protect the game of golf.
