What Fédération française de golf does

Fédération française de golf (FFGolf) is the national sports federation governing golf in France, founded in 1912 and organized as a private nonprofit under French sports law. It holds delegated authority from the state to license golfers, sanction competitions, and administer the World Handicap System. The federation serves a base of licensed amateur golfers across all categories (youth, mid-amateurs, seniors, paragolf, corporate, municipal associations, affinity groups), professional golfers on international circuits, high-performance athletes on French national teams, and 500+ affiliated clubs organized through 16 regional leagues covering metropolitan France and overseas territories. Headquartered at Golf National in Saint-Quentin-en-Yvelines with administrative offices in Paris, FFGolf is led by President Pascal Grizot and Director General Christophe Muniesa.

FFGolf operates an integrated digital ecosystem comprising mobile applications (Kady, L'App ffgolf, Chipin), a member portal (My ffgolf), a video platform (ffgolf.tv), and the environmental management tool Platform.Golf. It wholly owns Golf National — the flagship venue hosting the FedEx Open de France, Olympic golf, and the French national training center — alongside the ffgreen endowment fund and a joint interest in GIE Play golf in France (golf tourism). The federation has invested in proprietary environmental infrastructure, including the Golf pour la Biodiversité labeling program (211 clubs engaged, 126 certified) and the SPOR&D research consortium co-founded with the French Football Federation and academic partners.

The federation's revenue model combines mandatory annual licensing (subscription), competition and event-related fees (transaction), professional training and certification (professional services), and media/content revenue (subscription). Growth is concentrated in environmental programs (€5.88M in 2024 water-agency subsidies), high-performance sport (Olympic hosting 2024 and 2026), and digital productization (Platform.Golf adopted by 75% of clubs). Strategic positioning centers on sustainability leadership, recognized through the 2023 Sports for Nature Framework and the European Commission's endorsement of the biodiversity labeling program.

Name

Fédération française de golf

Legal name

Fédération Française de Golf

Website

https://ffgolf.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

1912

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

51–100 employees

Short description

The Fédération française de golf is France's national golf federation, founded in 1912, governing licensing, competitions, training, and environmental programs for 500+ affiliated clubs, licensed golfers, and national teams through Golf National and a multi-platform digital ecosystem.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Sports Federation Services

NAICS

Golf Courses and Country Clubs (713910), Spectator Sports (71121), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Educational Services (8200)

akta.pro primary industry

Amateur Sport Governing Bodies & Federations (National/Regional) (MPAKACAD)

akta.pro secondary industries

Golf Courses & Golf Facilities (MPAKAEAD), Athletic Field & Golf Course Groundskeeping (IMAIAIAH)

Keywords

• Golf federation services
• Sports licensing
• Competition management
• Professional training certification
• Environmental sustainability programs

Headquarters

HQ city

Levallois-perret

HQ country

France

HQ region

Europe

Offices2 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Marketing or Sales, Technology or R&D, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. Licensing fees: FFGolf generates primary revenue through golf licensing (licence ffgolf). All golfers in France must purchase an annual license to play competitively. The license provides access to competition entry, handicap indexing through the World Handicap System, insurance coverage, and federation services.
2. Competition management and entry fees: Revenue from organizing and managing national and regional competitions across all amateur categories, professional circuits, and major events including the FedEx Open de France.
3. Training and education services: Revenue from the National Training Center (Centre national de formation) offering professional certifications for golf instructors (Moniteur de golf), club coaches (Entraîneur de club), high-performance coaches (Entraîneur de haut niveau), and continuing education programs.
4. Media rights and content: Revenue generation through ffgolf.tv video platform, multimedia content production, and press partnerships including the Cafeyn press kiosk integration.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels5 records

Marketing channels8 records

Core offering

Fédération française de golf is the official national governing body for golf in France, offering annual golfer licensing (licence ffgolf), national and regional competition management across all categories (amateur, professional, youth, paragolf, corporate), professional training and certification for instructors and coaches at the Centre national de formation, and environmental sustainability programs including the Golf pour la Biodiversité certification and Platform.Golf digital tracking tool. The federation operates Golf National as its flagship venue and delivers digital services through My ffgolf, ffgolf.tv, and mobile applications (Kady, L'App ffgolf, Chipin).

Product overview

Fédération française de golf operates as a national sports federation offering a digital ecosystem comprising mobile applications (Kady, L'App ffgolf, Chipin), a media platform (ffgolf.tv), a personal dashboard (My ffgolf), an environmental management tool (Platform.Golf), and membership/license services. The federation provides golf-related content, competition management, and club administration tools through its digital properties.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• ffgolf TV: Digital television platform for golf content including tutorials, competition coverage, and golf culture programming
• Kady
• L'App ffgolf
• Chipin
• Platform.Golf
• Golf pour la Biodiversité
• ffgreen
• Académie du Golf
• SPOR&D

Products and services

• Licence ffgolf (Annual Golf License) Annual golf license providing individual golfers with official competition entry rights, handicap indexing through the World Handicap System, insurance coverage, and access to federation digital services including My ffgolf portal, ffgolf.tv, and mobile applications.
• My ffgolf (Member Portal) Personal account space for licensed golfers providing access to digital services including ffgolf.tv streaming, mobile applications (Kady, L'App ffgolf), competition registration, handicap management, and insurance documentation.
• Kady (Mobile Application) Mobile application offered by FFGolf for golfers providing club interactions, course information, and golf management features.
• L'App ffgolf (Official Mobile Application) Official mobile application of FFGolf for licensees providing access to federation services, competition information, handicap data, and golf management features.
• Chipin (Golf Scoring Application) Mobile application for golf scoring and tournament management, offered by FFGolf to golfers.
• ffgolf.tv (Video Platform) FFGolf's television platform offering golf-related video content including competition coverage, instructional tutorials (Académie), golf course features (Le Golf de la semaine), equipment reviews (Le coin matos), and player profiles.
• Platform.Golf (Environmental Management Tool) Smartphone application for golf clubs to record water and input consumption, optimize real-time water use, track maintenance interventions, access meteorological data and Propluvia water restriction orders, and generate compliance reports for environmental authorities.
• Centre national de formation (National Training Center) National training center offering professional certifications for golf instructors (Moniteur de golf), club coaches (Entraîneur de club), high-performance coaches (Entraîneur de haut niveau), intendants de terrain (course superintendents), and continuing education programs.
• National and Regional Competitions Organization and management of golf competitions across all categories (youth, mid-amateurs, seniors, paragolf, corporate, municipal associations, affinity golf) and major events including the FedEx Open de France and Jabra Ladies Open de France.
• Golf pour la Biodiversité (Biodiversity Certification Program) Biodiversity certification program (Bronze, Silver, Gold levels) for golf clubs, developed with the Muséum national d'histoire naturelle and Office français de la biodiversité. By 2024, 211 clubs engaged and 126 certified.

Quantifiable outcome

• 40% water consumption reduction at Golf National (2018-2023)
• +3 more outcomes

Named customers3 records

Segments6 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature2 records

Partnerships

14 partnerships are on record, tiered minor, flagship and core.

• JOLTminorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 29 June 2025FFGolf partnered with JOLT to optimize recovery for French national teams (Équipes de France), leveraging JOLT's expertise in athlete recovery and performance optimization.
• International Golf Federation (IGF)flagshipStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2024IGF and FFGolf signed the Sports for Nature Framework together with Swiss Golf at Golf National. IGF recognized FFGolf's leadership role in environmental sustainability and golf industry direction. FFGolf is also referenced by European Golf Association and Royal & Ancient for sustainable development measures.
• Swiss Golf (Fédération suisse de golf)minorStrategic or Co-development Partner · 23 July 2024Swiss Golf joined IGF and FFGolf in signing the Sports for Nature Framework, committing to shared sustainability goals in golf across both nations.
• Office français de la biodiversité (OFB)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2024OFB partners with FFGolf for the Golf pour la Biodiversité program, contributing technical expertise through PatriNat (MNHN/OFB) and participating in the Label Committee. OFB also supports Ecophyto 2030 strategy funding for sustainable turf management research.
• Platform Garden (Platform.Golf)coreTechnology or Integration · 1 May 2023Platform Garden collaborated with FFGolf to develop Platform.Golf, a digital application for golf course environmental management. The app enables clubs to track water consumption, inputs, access weather data, and generate regulatory compliance reports. Created by FFGolf's Direction Territoires, environnement et équipements (DTEE) with support from Agref, GEGF, ADGF, and GFGA golf industry associations.
• European CommissioncoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2023European Commission supports the Golf pour la Biodiversité program deployment at national level since 2023, recognizing the initiative as a model for sports sustainability in Europe.
• Muséum national d'histoire naturelle (MNHN)coreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2018MNHN provides scientific and technical support for the Golf pour la Biodiversité program, including biodiversity inventories and ecological diagnostics. PatriNat (MNHN/OFB) participates in the Label Committee for biodiversity certification review. MNHN conducted biodiversity study at Golf National identifying 409 species.
• Agref (Association des intendants et des personnels d'entretien des terrains de golf)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerAgref is a founding partner of SPOR&D consortium and Platform.Golf development. Represents golf course superintendents and greenkeepers in sustainable turf management initiatives.
• Water Agencies (Agences de l'eau)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFGolf signed progress contracts with multiple water agencies (Adour-Garonne, Seine-Normandie, and others) for water conservation in golf. In 2024, nine golf courses received water agency subsidies totaling 5,881,246€ for sustainable irrigation projects. 91 golf courses have invested 32 million euros generating 926,010 m³ annual water savings since 2015.
• SPOR&D Consortium (Sol Pelouse Organisme de Recherche & Développement)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSPOR&D launched November 2023, federating sports on natural grass (FFGolf, French Football Federation, Professional Football League, National Horse Racing Federation, France Galop) with research institutions (Paris-Saclay University, Institut de l'agriculture biologique, Agref, Écoumène golf & environnement) for sustainable turf research. Supported by ffgreen foundation and public funding including Ecophyto 2030.
• CafeynminorGTM or Marketing PartnerPress kiosk partnership enriching FFGolf's digital content offerings for licensed members, providing access to press content through My ffgolf portal.
• Royal & Ancient (R&A)flagshipStrategic or Co-development PartnerR&A supports FFGolf's European leadership in golf sustainability, co-organizing the Fairways to Nature 2025 event with FFGolf and The R&A. FFGolf is referenced by R&A for sustainable development measures and international collaboration.
• ffgreen Foundation (Fonds de dotation ffgreen)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFFGolf's environmental foundation supporting ecological transition in golf through funding for biodiversity projects, sustainable course management, and SPOR&D innovation initiatives.
• PGA FrancecoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerPGA France participates in the Golf pour la Biodiversité program as a financial and strategic supporter, contributing to the Label Committee and environmental initiatives.

Scale indicators9 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Broad incumbents

• The R&A (Royal and Ancient Golf Club of St Andrews): The R&A is the governing body of golf outside the US and Mexico, and rules-setter for the sport globally. Comparable as a fellow golf governing federation, with FFGolf referenced by R&A for sustainability measures and co-organizing Fairways to Nature.
• United States Golf Association (USGA): US national governing body of golf, comparable to FFGolf as a federation operating handicap systems, championships (US Open), and rules governance. Largest golf federation globally by participation and budget.
• International Golf Federation (IGF): International federation recognized by the IOC, governing golf in the Olympic context. Strategic partner of FFGolf (signed Sports for Nature together) and broader-incumbent in world golf governance.

Direct peers

• England Golf: National governing body for amateur golf in England. Closest functional peer to FFGolf - operates licensing, handicap system, competition organization, and club affiliation across a defined national territory.
• Deutscher Golf Verband (German Golf Federation): Germany's national golf federation, operating licensing, club affiliation, and competition management. Comparable as a fellow major European golf federation with similar structure and member-based revenue model.
• Real Federación Española de Golf (Royal Spanish Golf Federation): Spain's national golf federation, governing licensing, championships, and handicap systems. Direct peer with similar Mediterranean European market profile and comparable scale of affiliated clubs.
• Italian Golf Federation (Federazione Italiana Golf): Italy's national golf federation overseeing amateur and professional golf governance, licensing, and competition. Comparable structure and Southern European golf market to FFGolf.
• Golf Ireland: All-island governing body for golf in Ireland. Direct peer operating handicap indexing, club affiliation, and national championship organization with similar nonprofit federation structure.
• Swiss Golf (Fédération Suisse de Golf): Switzerland's national golf federation; co-signed Sports for Nature Framework with FFGolf and IGF. Smaller-scale direct peer with comparable federated structure and Alpine market profile.

Regional players

• Golf Australia: Australia's national golf federation governing handicap, championships, and club affiliation. Comparable in federation model but serves a different geographic market with distinct participation dynamics.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/ffgolf
• YouTubeyoutube.com/c/ffgolf
• Facebookfacebook.com/ffgolf
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/ffgolf
• Instagraminstagram.com/ffgolf

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Subsidiaries4 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Fédération française de golf