Is golf immune to the 'cost of living crisis'?

[Orikoru]

similar situation if I had to trim back £100 or so a month id trim other areas first , it would take a lot to trim back on the golf membership.

where as one my PP was saying the increase in membership (not announced yet but we have inflation based increases I believe) is going to make x number of people jack it in because they cant afford it.. they need to think of the members etc

well no.. they A supported us during covid and we werent charged.. thats a good thing.. they didnt have to B their costs have risen massively be it fuel for the machines or for treatments for the grass etc... and C a big bug bear of mine is he forgets golf is a hobby not a essential.. if energy bills go up and phone contracts its annoying and sometimes angry because of the companies profits but we need them... golf? its a choice.. if we cant afford it we simply dont play. surely?

Not disagreeing you, but I have started to view golf as near enough essential for my mental health these days! Like you, it would take a hell of a dire situation for me to cut my golf - and even then my last resort would probably be dropping my membership but go back to the old pay as you play membership I used to have at a nearby public course. (Course is in awful nick though by all accounts.)

 

[PJ87]

Not disagreeing you, but I have started to view golf as near enough essential for my mental health these days! Like you, it would take a hell of a dire situation for me to cut my golf - and even then my last resort would probably be dropping my membership but go back to the old pay as you play membership I used to have at a nearby public course. (Course is in awful nick though by all accounts.)

Ah yes I agree here it's very good for my mental health aswell

I'd trim other bits first

Fortunately this year's increase will balance out as the wife has decided to jack in the gym (we have a gym at the club, and it's linked to my membership I said id treat her) so the increase will prob end up a drop as I'm paying £151 ATM for me to have 5 days golf and her to have 7 days gym lol

 

[Jasonr]

I would say no, if the cost of living keeps going up as aggressively as it is then there will come a point when survival comes before a hobby.

Having said that what do you place your value on? OK my fees are 1400 per year plus all the consumables and all the other ancillary expenses saving up for new clubs so let say I'm spending about 250 a month on top of that. That's a yearly spend of 4,400

But on the flip side I don't have a Range Rover Evoque on a 400pm PCP, Sky with all Movies and Sports (120pm) I don't go and get wasted at the pub every other Friday night with my mates (50per night) and I don't have a football season ticket at 1500 quid that's a yearly spend in excess of 9k.

My conclusion is therefore that in a cost of living crisis you should in fact take up golf to save money.

 

[rystaman]

If more people were driving old bangers instead of new BMW's and Merc's, I would go along with the "cost of living blah blah blah" or trainers that are £200. But people don't want to make sacrifices and compromises and have it all, all the time.
How much is it to go skiing for a week?
How much is a set of quality darts or quality snooker cue?
Golf doesn't have to be expensive, and avereage membershipos aren't, if you make use of it.

I don't think the people in new BMW's or Merc's are complaining about the cost of living I agree there's a section of people who do want to 'have it all, all the time' but we're also at the point where a lot of people grew up watching their parents raise a family, have a nice house, annual holidays, cars etc. on a single salary. Whereas nowadays you need two people to even stay afloat, times have drastically changed.

I don't go out on the lash or have a season ticket at the football etc. which is my Golf membership and then some. I try and play 27 holes a week and get outside so really the cost-per-use for me is a lot lower than it would be if I was paying green fees every time.