Is Golf now too expensive???

[Jacko_G]

I generally play the cheaper end of the market in terms of courses and there are still plenty of courses that offer good value. But there have been one or two instances in my area where courses have noticeably hiked their green fees significantly. I wonder whether the COVID spike in people playing golf has allowed some courses to become a bit more choosy about whether they need non-members.

But, ultimately it isn't a cheap sport to play and hasn't been, probably ever.

That's exactly my take on golf. Prices have risen considerably and are probably spiraling out of control for the vast majority of working class golfers - and I include subscription rates in that. The cost of living, dramatic rise of costs in raw materials have forced clubs to raise fees to cover rising running costs.

Obviously the demographic of this forum is not working class judging by the amount of responses that say golf isn't experience.

We all have budgets and priorities in life. Two of our regular group have resigned due to a 10% hike in fees. They're away to a neighbouring club who are £400 cheaper per annum. Another in our group has said he would cut out the family holiday before he gave up his membership.

Some interesting responses and takes on the golf industry. Thanks.

 

[abjectplop]

Ailsa is mats everywhere and you're at the mercy of the horrendous West Coast weather, perhaps even frost, snow etc at that time if year.

You could be lucky with the weather but if I'm forking out for Turnberry Ailsa I ain't using a mat.

Understand all that but a stay in a luxury hotel with a round on Ailsa and one on KRTB is good value at £209 for those that don't want to pay a Summer green fee. I agree it's a disaster if you go and they're on winter greens though (if they have them?!)

 

[Deleted member 31467]

Like my bargain basement PXG Gen 5 driver for £250 in September. Bought with a stock shaft that I was previously fitted for - absolute snip.

And here lies the problem. Compared to other brands your PXG was cheap but for £250 you could buy a new washing machine or any number of other tech products that have loads more raw materials, technology and R&D in them but put the word 'golf' into the product and the price rockets. Bit like 'wedding' cake or 'wedding' dress.

Yes, golf is getting too expensive.

 

[Jacko_G]

Quite funny that PXG is now at the lower end of the market having launched with absolute rip off prices for average kit.

Not quite lower end - they just appear to have a mad blow out every once in a while. I looked at their irons but even with their January discount would have cost me more than what the Ping are.

Not sure PXG know what their market segment is!

 

[BiMGuy]

Out of interest. How much was a top of the range persimmon driver back in the day?

 

[Jacko_G]

And here lies the problem. Compared to other brands your PXG was cheap but for £250 you could buy a new washing machine or any number of other tech products that have loads more raw materials, technology and R&D in them but put the word 'golf' into the product and the price rockets. Bit like 'wedding' cake or 'wedding' dress.

Yes, golf is getting too expensive.

100%. Someone above quoted £300 for second hand irons. I have pointed out that could still be too much for some.

People will always pay top dollar - some won't, some will scrimp and save and do without in other areas of life. I get that. However like you I am very much of the opinion that golf is not cheap - it's actually very expensive in my opinion.

 

[Orikoru]

The top price of golf clubs and courses are ridiculous. But nobody says you have to pay for those. This line in the OP was funny to me:

Wasn't that long ago you could get yourself a very nice set of irons for £600 new.

..because that's exactly what I did at the end of last year, got a brand new set of irons after a fitting for £610. I explicitly told him before we started that I wasn't interesting in anything costing a grand and to leave the expensive ones out of consideration, and he said no problem as there were plenty in the 500-600 region we could work with.

As I said on another thread recently, going forward, fittings might be a different beast. Rather than fitting for the latest drivers that are £500+ it might be a case of doing the fitting, getting the spec you need, then going out and buying the closest older model or getting it second hand if possible. Although I'm lucky that my fittings tend to come out pretty near standard in terms of specs.

As for courses, paying more than £100 a round is just plain daft. If I bombed £300 on a round of golf I'd be terrified that I play crap and completely ruin the day. End of the day you're still playing the same game, I enjoy golf no matter how much I've spent on it, so silly to pay a daft amount when you may not enjoy it any more or any less.

 

[Crow]

Prices across the board have been rising for a few years.

Courses at the top end are geared up and priced up solely for overseas visitors and I can't see me playing one ever again.
This has had a knock-on effect to middle of the road courses and even the lowest tier courses which all seem to have bumped their visitor rates over the last few years such that I even have to think hard to justify playing a bang average course.
Open costs also seem to have leapt up over the last couple of years.

As for new equipment, this seems far more expensive than it was but then the manufacturers are making multi-material products with "exotic" gases and foams inside which will cost more to make than the old single billet blade or cavity back forging or casting.
Whether or not these multi-material products cost the additional monies being asked, or if they provide any significant benefit to the golfer, I don't know but they're what we've been convinced we need so they're what people are buying.

And as for putters, a weight on the end of a stick, the marketeers have done an amazing job with those.

 

[Voyager EMH]

That's exactly my take on golf. Prices have risen considerably and are probably spiraling out of control for the vast majority of working class golfers - and I include subscription rates in that. The cost of living, dramatic rise of costs in raw materials have forced clubs to raise fees to cover rising running costs.

Obviously the demographic of this forum is not working class judging by the amount of responses that say golf isn't experience.

We all have budgets and priorities in life. Two of our regular group have resigned due to a 10% hike in fees. They're away to a neighbouring club who are £400 cheaper per annum. Another in our group has said he would cut out the family holiday before he gave up his membership.

Some interesting responses and takes on the golf industry. Thanks.

Argh, don't get me started on that one again.

 

[Tashyboy]

We are in a recession yet the sale of Rolls Royce’s and Bentleys have gone up. Reading into that some people are massively struggling and others, well it’s very happy days.. Equate that to golf and some people are being fitted for drivers and irons and not batting an eyelid. Others are sticking with there clubs for a few more years. Unfortunately there’s already a discussion about green fees going up and for some that is already the straw that has broke the camels back. Forking out £1k for newbies just ain’t gonna happen.
I feel golf has to be careful as some folk are in a position re finances as to “ heat or eat”. Some golfers will be in A position of mortgage or golf.

 

[Teebs]

Golf is as expensive or as cheap as you make it - same as all sports.
My last set of irons cost me £600 when I purchased them 9 years' ago
The Driver (and a free hybrid) was £329, again, 9 years' ago
Wedges are 10 years' old, same as the carry bag

I have replaced everything, not because I needed to, more because I wanted to - my choice.
Some of my playing partners are rocking irons and woods that are 15 years old, doesn't mean they enjoy the game any less than I do.

 

[PJ87]

golf has price points for all types of people. some can justify the top end stuff some cant

my last driver was jan 2021 off top of my head, cobra speedzone so last years model at the time

when I come to upgrade again im sure ill go one or two models back for a price that suits me

I mean the LTD is now the price I paid for my speedzone

however there is a new model cobra air-x which is £289 so aimed at a lower market

clubhouse golf have 4 different drivers for £199 brand new

now £199 is costly but compared to the price of new drivers (say cobra £429) there is a point for everyone

 

[Robster59]

IMHO, the price of golf is moving up quite considerably. Yes, you don't have to pay the high rates, but even the bottom end is increasing in price. I see a few reasons for this.

• COVID led to a significant increase in the number of people joining clubs. As a result, the clubs aren't as desperate for the casual golfer, and so have raised their green fees accordingly.
• The demand for the "Premier" (famous) golf courses remains high, especially from overseas golfers, and as long as the customers are willing to pay the money, they will remain so. It means that us everyday golfers can't afford to play these courses, where in the past we may have been able to do so.
• Every course is facing increased costs. Be that wages, heating, rates, cost of equipment, fertilizer, salaries, etc.
• Even the price base of entry level clubs has risen considerably. Whether that be the "budget" (and that name is not meant in a derogatory way) brands such as Benross have increased their prices. And the Costco Callaway set has risen considerably.
• Golf accessories as well. Don't get me started on the price of golf bags. How much for some fabric and tubes!?
• And look at the prices of golf trolleys now. Over £1000 for some.
• Cost of raw materials has risen considerably due to higher energy cost and supply and demand for other uses.
• Freight costs and availability are rising considerably. My company import goods from the USA, and there is a massive demand for freight containers, more than there are available, also increasing costs.

@Backsticks . Just to advise that most of the members at my club aren't rich. The group I play with do not spend £'000's on equipment, but are very careful with their purchases.

For me, I look for deals, and the last time I paid full price was for a set of custom fit Callaway XR irons about 6 years ago. Anything else I buy is bought in sales or at discount prices. But if we look at RRP and the way prices are moving, then I have been saying for years that the trend in golf costs are going up considerably.

 

[Jacko_G]

The top price of golf clubs and courses are ridiculous. But nobody says you have to pay for those. This line in the OP was funny to me:

..because that's exactly what I did at the end of last year, got a brand new set of irons after a fitting for £610. I explicitly told him before we started that I wasn't interesting in anything costing a grand and to leave the expensive ones out of consideration, and he said no problem as there were plenty in the 500-600 region we could work with.

As I said on another thread recently, going forward, fittings might be a different beast. Rather than fitting for the latest drivers that are £500+ it might be a case of doing the fitting, getting the spec you need, then going out and buying the closest older model or getting it second hand if possible. Although I'm lucky that my fittings tend to come out pretty near standard in terms of specs.

As for courses, paying more than £100 a round is just plain daft. If I bombed £300 on a round of golf I'd be terrified that I play crap and completely ruin the day. End of the day you're still playing the same game, I enjoy golf no matter how much I've spent on it, so silly to pay a daft amount when you may not enjoy it any more or any less.

Why would you look for a fitting then go out and search for something "close"? Why go for the fitting if you know you're standard - that doesn't make sense.

You won't pick up Sub70 or Tomoko irons for £600 by the time you pay a fitting fee etc.

 

[Voyager EMH]

Well, golf ain't too expensive for me.
But I'm a marketeer's antithesis. That won't bother them in the slightest, however.

Cobra F-Speed driver and Cobra Baffler 16d hybrid - £25 each in 2010.
Cobra Baffler 20d hybrid - £14 last year.
Reid Lockhart irons 3-SW - £85 last year.
Choice of putters - average £3.

HI 4.5

I might be on the lookout for a Rogue or Epic or something of that era when they come down to less than £40 in a few year's time.

 

[Backache]

I disagree with you re "ordinary" courses. Most of these clubs in my area were £30/40 bracket 3/4 years ago have all doubled at least.

I'm lucky that I can use the James Braid Association of Golf Courses and secure some good deals through that. It's a good thing to be part of.

Maybe it depends on where you are I think fees have popped up a bit but they had been static for a long time. My own club charges visitors £50 whereas it was £35 a few years ago it was about £30 20 odd years ago not a dramatic rise.
Our local council course which is a good one is £12.40, £8.20 for a winter fee (admittedly it is wet sometimes in winter) and £270 for an annual ticket

 

[Orikoru]

Why would you look for a fitting then go out and search for something "close"? Why go for the fitting if you know you're standard - that doesn't make sense.

You won't pick up Sub70 or Tomoko irons for £600 by the time you pay a fitting fee etc.

Yeah, fitting does make it more annoying. For my first few years of getting back into golf I happily bought second hand, but eventually I decided to go down the fitting route which means you are coerced into buying the latest stuff. I was just saying it's possible to get fit for a driver (if it's the first fitting you've ever done for it, say), and the results are say you need a stiff shaft and draw bias, you could certainly buy an older model from somewhere that's draw-biased and stiff. I agree that it's not ideal. Or you might be able to pick up what you fitted for second hand, but if it's the latest, it probably doesn't save you enough to be worthwhile.

 

[Jacko_G]

IMHO, the price of golf is moving up quite considerably. Yes, you don't have to pay the high rates, but even the bottom end is increasing in price. I see a few reasons for this.

• COVID led to a significant increase in the number of people joining clubs. As a result, the clubs aren't as desperate for the casual golfer, and so have raised their green fees accordingly.
• The demand for the "Premier" (famous) golf courses remains high, especially from overseas golfers, and as long as the customers are willing to pay the money, they will remain so. It means that us everyday golfers can't afford to play these courses, where in the past we may have been able to do so.
• Every course is facing increased costs. Be that wages, heating, rates, cost of equipment, fertilizer, salaries, etc.
• Even the price base of entry level clubs has risen considerably. Whether that be the "budget" (and that name is not meant in a derogatory way) brands such as Benross have increased their prices. And the Costco Callaway set has risen considerably.
• Golf accessories as well. Don't get me started on the price of golf bags. How much for some fabric and tubes!?
• And look at the prices of golf trolleys now. Over £1000 for some.
• Cost of raw materials has risen considerably due to higher energy cost and supply and demand for other uses.
• Freight costs and availability are rising considerably. My company import goods from the USA, and there is a massive demand for freight containers, more than there are available, also increasing costs.

@Backsticks . Just to advise that most of the members at my club aren't rich. The group I play with do not spend £'000's on equipment, but are very careful with their purchases.

For me, I look for deals, and the last time I paid full price was for a set of custom fit Callaway XR irons about 6 years ago. Anything else I buy is bought in sales or at discount prices. But if we look at RRP and the way prices are moving, then I have been saying for years that the trend in golf costs are going up considerably.

100%

You mentioned golf bags. I'll raise you golf shoes. There are very few manufacturers whose shoes have not dropped considerably in quality over the last few years. The materials are cheaper and usually crap. They sell you this "lightweight/fatigue" arguement. Do you know how many steps you take blah.

Ultimately cheaper materials don't last anywhere near as long, are nowhere near waterproof, offer nowhere near the same kevel of support.

They give us cheaper materials and raise the prices to maximize profits. Beggars belief.

 

[Voyager EMH]

This summer, I'll be making use of two bags.

Orvis real leather and canvass for when there is zero chance of rain. (£7.50)
Slazenger vinyl tour bag for other days. (£18)



Absolutely gorgeous top quality bags, both of them.

 

[Jacko_G]

This summer, I'll be making use of two bags.

Orvis real leather and canvass for when there is zero chance of rain. (£7.50)
Slazenger vinyl tour bag for other days. (£18)

View attachment 45911View attachment 45912

Absolutely gorgeous top quality bags, both of them.

Gorgeous is certainly in the eye of the beholder. That top bag looks like it belongs to a teenage mutant turtle.