Finland — 21 October 2026. The Finnish Golf Union (Suomen Golfliitto) has identified 21 October as the date of the final printed edition of Golflehti. From the start of 2027, the magazine's articles will be distributed exclusively through the federation's golf.fi website and its official eBirdie app. The change ends the print format; it does not close the publication.
A planned final issue, not a sudden closure
The union announced the decision on 23 June 2026, explaining that the magazine would appear in print four times during the year before switching fully to digital. Its October home-page update specified 21 October for the final paper issue. The date is therefore a milestone in a previously announced transition, rather than the date on which the decision was first made.
Golflehti has long formed part of the Finnish golf community's member communications. The union says the magazine and its editorial coverage will remain available; what changes is how and when readers receive it.
How the digital edition works
Golflehti content had already been integrated into eBirdie in March 2026, well before the last print issue. The app is also used by Finnish golfers to check their handicap, membership information and club updates. The federation publishes the magazine's material on golf.fi as well.
Instead of waiting for four scheduled print editions each year, readers can now receive new stories throughout the season and beyond. The union has outlined ambitions for video interviews, audio-enhanced stories and instructional videos, but those plans should not be mistaken for a claim that every proposed format is already live.
Economics and reach
Outgoing Finnish Golf Union chair Antti Tiitola has explained that rising paper and distribution costs were among the reasons for the decision. Feedback from golf clubs and community representatives also supported a move towards digital publishing.
According to the union, more than 100,000 golfers use eBirdie during a season. That figure represents the reach of the app, not Golflehti's paid subscriptions or the number of readers of an individual article.
The potential audience is sizeable. On 1 September 2026, the union's 133 member clubs counted 164,914 members, up 3,279 year on year. The switch places editorial coverage inside a service already used by much of that community.
What changes for readers
The practical outcome is straightforward: no further paper issues are planned after October 2026, while Golflehti's coverage continues through eBirdie and golf.fi in 2027. Clubs and readers may receive more frequent updates on junior golf, women's golf, tournaments, courses, coaching and rules rather than relying on quarterly print distribution.
The final-print date and the 2027 distribution model were verified against Finnish Golf Union publications. The app's functionality was checked against its official listing. The June decision is not presented as a fresh October announcement.
