We recently published a list of 10 Best Golf Stocks to Buy According to Analysts. In this article, we are going to take a look at where NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) stands against other best golf stocks to buy according to analysts.
Golf stocks are publicly traded firms that are part of the golf industry. These companies include businesses that manufacture golf equipment, operate golf courses, and provide associated services, giving investors a chance to engage in the golf market.
The golf industry continues to evolve with women, social play, lessons, and online bookings driving key developments. According to a report by NBC Sports Next, female engagement has grown by 15%, with 800,000 more women golfers joining between 2020 and 2022, compared to a 2% rise among male golfers. Women now account for one-third of junior players and 49% of surveyed golfers. Golf remains a strongly social activity, with 49% of surveyed golfers primarily playing with friends. Business-related golf is also growing, notably among GolfNow users. While 36% of golfers took a lesson in the previous year, the number rose to 67% among GolfNow customers, with many preferring a combination of on-course and facility-based training. Moreover, younger golfers are frequently booking online, with 43% of those aged 18 to 34 reserving at least one round by 2023. Speed and convenience are essential, with 55% citing online booking as the quickest option. These developments point out expansion prospects for courses that cater to women, social golfers, and digitally aware players.
According to the National Golf Foundation’s research, the golf business in the United States is still expanding rapidly, with 45 million Americans (aged 6 and up) playing golf in 2023, including 26.6 million on-course and 18.4 million in off-course venues like simulators and Topgolf. The business has seen nearly 2 million new golfers each year for the past ten years, with 3.4 million first-time players projected in 2023 alone. The largest consumer age group is still young adults (18-34 years old), with 6.3 million participants on the course and 5.8 million off. Since 2019, juniors (3.5 million) have shot up by 40%, with girls accounting for 37%. Female involvement has climbed to 7 million, making up 26% of on-course golfers. In 2023, rounds played reached a record high of 531 million, beating the pre-pandemic average by more than 10%. The US offers 16,000 courses at 14,000 facilities, with 75% open to the public. Despite a 12% drop in course supply since 2006, demand remains high, with 22.4 million people expressing a desire to play.
Finally, TGL, the golf league that began playing matches in January 2025, is combining digital and physical components to create an entirely new hybrid golf experience. Teams of golfers compete in a specially created venue across a set of custom-made holes. They begin by hitting a large-screen simulator of real terrain, then shift to a transformable turntable as the green. Broadcasting innovations aimed at bringing golfers’ experiences closer to home viewers were deemed crucial from the start. The 2025 PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando showcased the golf industry’s strong momentum.
Marc Simon, Vice President of PGA Golf Exhibitions, stated:
“The show is a reflection of the industry, and golf is thriving right now,” “With the surging popularity of golf, we saw the largest number of exhibitors and largest occupied space since 2009, which is encouraging to see.”
The exhibition included over 1,000 exhibitors spread across 1.1 million square feet, showcasing golf’s continuous development in the $102 billion industry. More than 1,200 VIP buyers from 770 golf courses and mass merchandisers attended, totaling $810 million in purchasing power and roughly $2 billion in retail sales potential. The event has progressed beyond typical golf equipment and gear to include fitness, health, and wellness areas, as well as racquet sports and club facilities. The Clubhouse exhibition space was doubled in size, mirroring the trend in golf facilities toward broader member experiences.
Technology was a major focus, with AI-powered golf simulators, effective ball-flight data, and next-generation golf carts catering to growing personal cart ownership. Golf’s trends are shifting, with a record 200 influencers in attendance and robust clothing growth fueled by Gen Z consumers. The PGA Show’s reinvention is in line with industry trends, stressing experiential marketing and innovation. Looking ahead, organizers intend to continue responding to changing company needs in order to ensure long-term industry success.
A team of trainers and athletes displaying a wide range of athletic and casual footwear.
Methodology:
For this list, we compiled an initial list of 12 golf stocks, which included companies that are involved in the golf industry. Then, we selected the 10 stocks that had the highest upside potential as of April 9, 2025. We have only included stocks in our list with an upside potential of 10% or higher. The stocks are ranked in ascending order of the upside potential.
Why are we interested in the stocks that hedge funds pile into? The reason is simple: our research has shown that we can outperform the market by imitating the top stock picks of the best hedge funds. Our quarterly newsletter’s strategy selects 14 small-cap and large-cap stocks every quarter and has returned 373.4% since May 2014, beating its benchmark by 218 percentage points (see more details here).
NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)
Analysts’ Upside Potential as of April 9: 52.04%
NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) is among the Best Golf Stocks. It is a global athletic clothing and footwear corporation. While it is not a large player in the golf equipment market, it does provide a diverse line of golf clothes and footwear, including shoes and clothing tailored for comfort and style on the course. Its golf products are connected with well-known golfers such as Rory McIlroy and have received widespread recognition for their quality and performance attributes. However, other sports, such as basketball, jogging, and soccer, continue to receive wide attention.
The company’s business in China, a vital market, has struggled due to the economic downturn and increased competition from local businesses. NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE)’s CEO, Elliott Hill, focuses on restoring the brand’s core identity: sport and the athlete, with a particular focus on rebuilding relationships with retailers and promoting innovation.
The business aims to reconnect with players and sports fans by highlighting the brand’s genuine connection to the sport. It intends to relaunch its product lineup through innovation, ensuring that its offerings are not only in line with present trends but also far ahead of the curve in terms of performance and design. NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) introduced several new items, including the Peg Premium and Vomero 18, which gained excellent consumer feedback. The new 24/7 apparel collection outperformed sales projections, showing successful footwear and apparel innovation.
Hill admits that NIKE, Inc. (NYSE:NKE) has relied too heavily on promotions to drive sales and intends to transition to a full-price model in its online business while actively eliminating outdated inventory through less profitable channels.
Overall, NKE ranks 2nd on our list of the 10 best golf stocks to buy according to analysts. While we acknowledge the potential of golf companies, our conviction lies in the belief that AI stocks hold greater promise for delivering higher returns and doing so within a shorter timeframe. There is an AI stock that went up since the beginning of 2025, while popular AI stocks lost around 25%. If you are looking for an AI stock that is more promising than NKE but that trades at less than 5 times its earnings, check out our report about this cheapest AI stock.
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Disclosure: None. This article is originally published at Insider Monkey.