Inflation of Greens Fees for the Top UK Courses

[redbrownie]

It's all relative.

Green fees at the top courses never have been affordable to all, it's just that you considered them affordable to you. You no longer do.

Others still consider them in their range.

I’m not suggesting they should be affordable to all, i’m just bemoaning the fact that the price increase in the space of 20 years is 3 or 4 times the rate of inflation.

If that was the case for other non-essential things then we would be up in arms about it and rightly so.

I think it’s fair to expect a premium to pay a green fee on the top courses, but not when it ends up being the equivalent of 1/3 of a membership fee for a year at your local club. To me that’s absurd and it doesn’t help the game.

 

[Deleted member 18588]

I’m not suggesting they should be affordable to all, i’m just bemoaning the fact that the price increase in the space of 20 years is 3 or 4 times the rate of inflation.

If that was the case for other non-essential things then we would be up in arms about it and rightly so.

I think it’s fair to expect a premium to pay a green fee on the top courses, but not when it ends up being the equivalent of 1/3 of a membership fee for a year at your local club. To me that’s absurd and it doesn’t help the game.

I am afraid I don't understand the argument about growing the game.

That will come about from more people, both young and old, taking up golf.

They are not going to be dissuaded fromthat by the cost of playing courses that, at this stage, many of them will not even have heard of and probably none of them would be ready for.

I rather suspect that it is only existing golfers that are concerned rather than any actual or potential newcomers.

 

[redbrownie]

I am afraid I don't understand the argument about growing the game.

That will come about from more people, both young and old, taking up golf.

They are not going to be dissuaded fromthat by the cost of playing courses that, at this stage, many of them will not even have heard of and probably none of them would be ready for.

I rather suspect that it is only existing golfers that are concerned rather than any actual or potential newcomers.

I think it's both. I am very much the exception in my group of friends when it comes to golf, the general perception is that it's an exclusive sport and not accessible or welcoming to all. The cost of those top courses just adds to that overall perception.

You can disagree, that'e fine, but those opinions are out there and they're very prominent too.

 

[IanM]

Yes, but those images of exclusivity are based on ignorance.

For every Queenwood, there are many many more public or inexpensive courses. Most places Ive played are welcoming, can’t remember last time Ive had a bad experience.

I agree the rise in prices at top venues has been daft. But folk must be paying in sufficient numbers or it would not have happened. Theres still plenty of value to be had, although I suspect most of it is outside the south east or miles away from courses on the Open Rota.

My nearest city is Newport...you might point at it being £100 or so to play the 2010 Course, but there are 3 or 4 other courses with 3 miles that are cheaper than watching the local League 2 football team or the rugby team.

Is eating out exclusive and over priced? As with golf, depends on where you go!

 

[davidy233]

Golf is/can be expensive.

One of the courses at my place is £95 for a round - lots of other posters courses will be in that ball park or more expensive

On this forum there's been discussions this week about joining clubs for '£2000 going rate' and that is by no means the most expensive membership sub I've seen quoted as a poster paying in the last couple of weeks.

Got to have this year's Galvin Green jackets at £400 plus.

People buy the latest drivers £499 is the first price google came up with for a TaylorMade Sim2 as an example - a grand for irons and hundreds for putters and wedges.

Don't see any 'for the working man' there

But you don't need to pay anything like that for golf stuff that maybe isn't quite as desirable but will do the job - if you want to have the best/most fashionable/name gear/membership then you either have the money or you save for it.

Nobody except locals has a need to have access at a cheap price to one of the big name courses (and the ones near me do cut price rates for those locals) - For the rest of us it's a treat, just as that new driver/putter/top end waterproof jacket is.

 

[redbrownie]

Yes, but those images of exclusivity are based on ignorance.

For every Queenwood, there are many many more public or inexpensive courses. Most places Ive played are welcoming, can’t remember last time Ive had a bad experience.

I agree the rise in prices at top venues has been daft. But folk must be paying in sufficient numbers or it would not have happened. Theres still plenty of value to be had, although I suspect most of it is outside the south east or miles away from courses on the Open Rota.

My nearest city is Newport...you might point at it being £100 or so to play the 2010 Course, but there are 3 or 4 other courses with 3 miles that are cheaper than watching the local League 2 football team or the rugby team.

Is eating out exclusive and over priced? As with golf, depends on where you go!

I don't think it is based on ignorance. You make fair points but i'm talking specifically about the issue raised in the first post of this thread. The prices used to be much more affordable than they are now, that's just a fact, and I think it's a real shame.

It's even worse in the US.

 

[IanM]

I meant ignorance of the diversity of the cost of golf.

But no argument from me about the dissapointing over acceleration of the cost of the top end.

 

[evemccc]

Good to see Brora bringing in a UK residency Visitor level of pricing, and an International Visitor level of pricing..something that @Zig @Liverbirdie and others like myself called for.
In truth, it looks like the UK visitor rate hasn't come down, just an increase for visitors. But for me, if the club needs or wants increased revenue then this is the market to target for that.

Brora is a great links course, and a great welcoming club and pro

 

[patricks148]

Good to see Brora bringing in a UK residency Visitor level of pricing, and an International Visitor level of pricing..something that @Zig @Liverbirdie and others like myself called for.
In truth, it looks like the UK visitor rate hasn't come down, just an increase for visitors. But for me, if the club needs or wants increased revenue then this is the market to target for that.

Brora is a great links course, and a great welcoming club and pro

quite a few clubs up here have a UK rate, we've had one for a couple of years i believe. i think Nairn Dunbar does also. We've also started doing a local rate for a 4 ball

 

[Liverbirdie]

Good to see Brora bringing in a UK residency Visitor level of pricing, and an International Visitor level of pricing..something that @Zig @Liverbirdie and others like myself called for.
In truth, it looks like the UK visitor rate hasn't come down, just an increase for visitors. But for me, if the club needs or wants increased revenue then this is the market to target for that.

Brora is a great links course, and a great welcoming club and pro

Gives us "deluded" gang hope.

The cynic in me hopes that its still in place in a post-covid world in a year or two.

 

[Zig]

Royal Liverpool the first one to offer 'Open Days' for 2021. £151 - not cheap but cheaper than playing the usual way. Here's hoping some of the other biggies offer similar!

 

[Deleted member 25172]

Royal Liverpool the first one to offer 'Open Days' for 2021. £151 - not cheap but cheaper than playing the usual way. Here's hoping some of the other biggies offer similar!

Where do you find this? Could only find their mixed foursome comp.

 

[evemccc]

Where do you find this? Could only find their mixed foursome comp.

it’s on their homepage
check under ‘News’

 

[Deleted member 15344]

Where do you find this? Could only find their mixed foursome comp.

https://www.royal-liverpool-golf.com/new-royal-liverpool-golf-clubs-hoylake-open-days

It is the mixed ones but they can be any combination