Golf boom 2020–20??

[evemccc]

When will it end, has it quietened already?

A number of good courses are full, have closed waiting lists, bumped up green fee rates since the Covid boom

When - if ever - will courses and clubs feel the need to entice golfers back with green fee offers again, or begin to re-open waiting lists for Membership etc?

My guess is summer/spring 2023 when cost of living crisis has bitten and when the lure of overseas trips returns in earnest - and demand for this isn’t at all affected by Covid..

 

[clubchamp98]

When will it end, has it quietened already?

A number of good courses are full, have closed waiting lists, bumped up green fee rates since the Covid boom

When - if ever - will courses and clubs feel the need to entice golfers back with green fee offers again, or begin to re-open waiting lists for Membership etc?

My guess is summer/spring 2023 when cost of living crisis has bitten and when the lure of overseas trips returns in earnest - and demand for this isn’t at all affected by Covid..

I think the overseas trips are hampered more by airports chaos than Covid now.
Our WL has been closed for a while.
The seniors open went from £25 to £35 this year. No reduction for members.! But was still full.
No way am I paying that on my own course , would rather play somewhere else for the same price.

 

[D-S]

Something will have to change for the lure of foreign trips to return in a cost of living crisis. Green fees abroad with a relatively weak pound are ridiculous now. I paid a third of my annual subs for 3 rounds of golf in Majorca on good but not outstanding courses. Friends just paid half their annual subs for 4 rounds at good courses in the Algarve.

 

[Oddsocks]

My guess is summer/spring 2023 when cost of living crisis has bitten and when the lure of overseas trips returns in earnest - and demand for this isn’t at all affected by Covid..

I’m going to go with this. A good percentage took up sport during covid as in comparison it was relatively cheap and very accessible, in addition working from home made it great value for 9 holes here, etc etc during a working week.

Fast forward to now and people are being forced back to the office so the sneaky few 9’s during the week are disappearing so there goes the value for money. People are now missing what was their main hobby and are making decisions between the new found love that is now once a week and their past passions.

Couple that in with increased commuting costs back to the office and increased fuel costs and they’re are going to feel the pinch. If you used to spend £150 on fuel a month to commute and you are now working from home that money funds the golf. You get forces back to work and not only does that £150 disappear but it actually increases closer to £225/200.

Re foreign trips, I’m only having a golf trip next year as stag do #2 which is a treat from friends, and I have also now started limiting away trips also. Offering car shares where possible etc

 

[GB72]

It will be interesting to see how the cost of living thing hits home. Even now, golf is pretty good value in the summer, a few hours of entertainment at weekends for not a massive outlay but once the weather goes and people are going a few weeks without playing whilst that £100 or whatever is still leaving the bank and the cost of everything else is going up, that will be the real test. Personally, I can see the demand going down a bit after this year when those who were lockdown converts reconsider but much will also depend on whether there is anything else that becomes popular that challenges for the attention of the current golfers.

 

[Steve Wilkes]

I think we are fast approaching pre-covid in terms of footfall on the courses, but high membership numbers is a result of yearly subscriptions which will die down in next two years.
In the first summer of Covid (Furlough), there were a noticeable amount of under 40's golfers playing, but not sure there is a huge take up of them now playing more regular than they did pre-covid

 

[GG26]

From what I noted at my club there was a large intake of new members in 2019 (ie the year before Covid), so whilst there was a big increase in membership as a result of the pandemic, the increase in popularity had already begun.

Hybrid working appears here to stay, making it easier to get to the course on some days of the week and we now have several members in their 20s. Prior to the pandemic we had very few in this age bracket and whilst there will be some drop off, in the medium term the level of membership looks positive.

 

[PhilTheFragger]

All depends on the levels of renewals around March/ April time

There will be many, who find the cost of living starting to bite and will have to make a choice

I’m feel clubs will be ok for a year or 2,
But over 5 years, with normal membership reductions due to the ravages of time etc
it will be interesting to see if the waiting lists exist then

 

[evemccc]

Yes I wonder if a few waiting lists and closed memberships start to disappear in the next 3-4 years

 

[The Lion]

I had a strong feeling that since autumn 2021, when we started to near normal, things have calmed down.

A large number of courses now have times most days of the week. Not loads granted, but a fair few. And many now have whole weekday and Sunday afternoons free again.

As others say, the COL crisis, people returning to office/normal, war, liquidity, global economy all will weigh heavily on future renewals and rounds played.

I’m in Liverpool and would like to join a good club, just JFs are ridiculous atm. Any advice gratefully received…

 

[Mel Smooth]

Something will have to change for the lure of foreign trips to return in a cost of living crisis. Green fees abroad with a relatively weak pound are ridiculous now. I paid a third of my annual subs for 3 rounds of golf in Majorca on good but not outstanding courses. Friends just paid half their annual subs for 4 rounds at good courses in the Algarve.

Our local course (La Finca), cancelled all the annual memberships this year, the members have had to either join elsewhere or pay green fees, which top out at around 110 euros in the peak season.
The prices in europe are driven by what people can afford to pay, and it seems the Scandanavians in particular are happy to go with the prices that the clubs are charging.

That's part of the reason we're mving back to England (although there are many more), but I'm now paying less for my monthly membership at a facility which has 3 courses - for both me and the youth, than I was paying for one round of golf for the both of us here.

Also, I can't speak for any other European nation on this, but here in Spain, if the demand for something goes down, they tend to put up the price so that the nett revenue is the same, even if it is coming from fewer people - that's not just golf clubs, it applies in many situations.

 

[clubchamp98]

I had a strong feeling that since autumn 2021, when we started to near normal, things have calmed down.

A large number of courses now have times most days of the week. Not loads granted, but a fair few. And many now have whole weekday and Sunday afternoons free again.

As others say, the COL crisis, people returning to office/normal, war, liquidity, global economy all will weigh heavily on future renewals and rounds played.

I’m in Liverpool and would like to join a good club, just JFs are ridiculous atm. Any advice gratefully received…

There are a few clubs in Liverpool that don’t have Joining fees or didn’t as far as I know.
Lee park
Huyton and Prescot.
Blundels Hill.
Played them lately and all in very nice condition.
Greens at Lee Park best I have seen for a very long time.

 

[The Lion]

There are a few clubs in Liverpool that don’t have Joining fees or didn’t as far as I know.
Lee park
Huyton and Prescot.
Blundels Hill.
Played them lately and all in very nice condition.
Greens at Lee Park best I have seen for a very long time.

True, I was referring to the parklands tbh. I’m just not much a fan of them. Many are boggy in winter and not especially interesting, so I just can’t see myself joining them.

 

[IanM]

Love this forum. Folk panic about a boom and also the end of it.

 

[howbow88]

I think we're slowly heading back to where we were a few years ago in terms of total numbers, but with much more younger players, which is surely a good thing.

The cost of living will bite in the next year and many people will have to make cutbacks.

 

[evemccc]

Love this forum. Folk panic about a boom and also the end of it.

No panicking! I can’t wait for the end of the ‘boom’ - waiting lists may come down, green fee rises won’t continue to rise at the speed they have, clubs will/may reopen memberships!

 

[Mel Smooth]

Never mind the green fees, I'd like to see the price of a Driver re-set to where it should be, somewhere around the £150-£180 mark.

 

[The Lion]

Love this forum. Folk panic about a boom and also the end of it.

The golf boom has caused a lot of issues, driving up green fees and membership rates astronomically, all this at a time of economic malaise.

Thus it’s been terrible for golfers, who have also had to endure clogged golf courses and a struggle to obtain a tee time.

Its end would be good for all aside from pricier clubs who won’t be able to command such high rates in future.

 

[clubchamp98]

True, I was referring to the parklands tbh. I’m just not much a fan of them. Many are boggy in winter and not especially interesting, so I just can’t see myself joining them.

Right most links courses would have a WL I would imagine.
But the flip side is a freezing cold February morning with the wind whipping your face isn’t much fun either.
Horses for courses .

 

[Deleted member 15344]

I’m guessing golf is the same as everything else these days - it’s becoming more expensive, if other prices come down then so will golf prices.

The “boom” will be ok providing courses keep on moving forward to ensure they keep their members happy and interested in the sport

Many clubs have grown stronger over the last 2 years and if the right plans are in place will continue to grow

Golf as a participation sport will continue to be strong