Playing golf online is becoming increasingly popular. Many games are available free of charge on major golf gaming sites and social networking forums. Gamers can practice their play in solo games and then enter networked groups to pit their expertise against family, friends or strangers from around the world.

The high end Flash Golf Games available online often have huge corporate sponsorship (clubs, clothing etc). This corporate endorsement of golf gaming online proves that there is a cross-over market from online golf to the real world; that corporations recognize the financial returns that are possible if an online market is targeted correctly. Playing golf online is the ideal way to learn about golf. New golfers can learn terminology and rules of play in the comfort of their homes before heading to a real course, where the pressure of the costs involved and the 'club' style exclusivity might inhibit them and their appreciation of the game. Home players can also enjoy playing on the best courses available - from Japan to South Africa - for free. This has appeal to beginner golfers and pros alike.

Fantasy Golf, like Fantasy Football is all all year round leader-board game, that focusses less on graphics and realism, and more on competition between individuals. Fantasy golf, off all the golf games online will closely mimic the events occurring in the actual golfing world. Online players can make predictions, create their own teams and track their points (according to the success of their choices). Fantasy Golf games might not be much fun to look at, they have little or no kinetic simulation, but the developers work hard on the algorithms and code involved to make fantasy golf gamers feel like they really are part of the minute to minute world of golf.

One of the fastest growing segments of the Online golf gaming market is the fun re-interpretations of the game. For free online you can play medieval golf, shoe-golf - where you fling your shoes of your virtual feet instead of hitting a ball and golf with your favourite anime characters (Japan being one of golf's fastest growing markets, the online trend will naturally mimic the country's growing interest in the sport). These fun, colourful takes on what was once considered a stuffy old people's sport, show a strong youth market opening up to online golf game developers. By creating a diversity of games, the online golfing industry is ensuring a diverse market too. This diversity can only serve to strengthen the online golfing industry as a whole. There's certainly no sign of this market slowing down.

If you have never played Online Golf, a short browse through the web will surely result in finding a version of the game which you can enjoy; by yourself or with friends. You might even have the luck of making new friends online.