Is Golf now too expensive???

Jacko_G

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So Callaway bring out a new driver RRP of £599!

Turnberry summer green fee £475.

Utter madness. Wasn't that long ago you could get yourself a very nice set of irons for £600 new. My second course (which is a wee smasher and always in great condition) is over £200 cheaper than a single round at Turnberry.
I'm just about to drop over £1k on a set of irons, not a nice feeling. New irons and gear should be a joyous feeling not one that has you questioning your sanity.

At what point do customers say enough is enough?

I fully appreciate consumer choice, buy second hand, buy cheaper brands etc but ultimately for me the price of golf has hit crazy heights in the last few years and sadly shows no sign of plateauing.
 

Backsticks

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No. How expensive golf is, is determined by how much it costs if you want to play golf, not how much its possible to spend to play golf.

Golfers are rich. They are happy to hand over their money to buy branding. They have the money to concede to the brainwashing of the advertisers. Drivers is a funny one admittedly. They are all the same, but a lot a men (not women) keep parting with cash ('investing' they call it to hide the fact that it will yield them nothing other than soothe their consumerism) for a club in a different shade of grey, and convince themselves they like the sound a little better.
 

Jacko_G

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No. How expensive golf is, is determined by how much it costs if you want to play golf, not how much its possible to spend to play golf.

Golfers are rich. They are happy to hand over their money to buy branding. They have the money to concede to the brainwashing of the advertisers. Drivers is a funny one admittedly. They are all the same, but a lot a men (not women) keep parting with cash ('investing' they call it to hide the fact that it will yield them nothing other than soothe their consumerism) for a club in a different shade of grey, and convince themselves they like the sound a little better.

Golfers are rich?

Oh really!
 

Jacko_G

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In the main, yes. Look at the prices. You have to be rich to be comfortable handing over £600 just to change the colour of your golf club.

I would suggest that is a very generic sweeping statement. I like most of the people I golf with are certainly not "rich". Every bit of equipment I own, my membership etc is all hard earned, money put by, overtime worked etc to pay for it.

I can probably put two of my golfing circle into the category of not requiring to save or think twice about buying anything new.

I just look at the increase in costs of equipment and green fees and wonder where/when will it stop?

Thanks for your response. I do genuinely find that interesting. Perhaps you move in better circles than I do.

?
 

chico

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Golf is becoming like a lot of other things in life. Just about everybody can participate as there are different price points depending on quality of clubs, courses, clothing etc.
However the elite courses have rocketed in price over the last several years putting them out of range for a lot of golfers. Likewise for top of the range equipment.
Clubs and clothing are a different story as most can be got relatively cheaply by shopping around.
If you buy wisely and play the cheaper courses it's not too bad. But the likes of myself with a young family won't be playing Turnberry etc without a decent lottery win.
 

Backache

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By looking at the top end, you are essentially saying golf can be expensive.
Consumables like golf balls feel like they have gone up a lot less than general inflation.
Green fees at middle to upper ranked courses have increased. But I feel that green fees on ordinary courses haven't gone up over general inflation.
I don't think clubs have become expensive unless you have to buy the latest model before it gets discounted.
 

Bratty

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Everything in the world seems more expensive and is only heading upwards.
And part of golf's pricing is customers are still willing to pay it. Until the majority stop buying a driver for £459, then EOMs will keep pumping them out.

I can't answer your question about what the point will be where customers say enough is enough, as everyone has a different amount that they believe is too much.

When I tell some people how much my wedges cost, some collapse, some question my sanity, some smile, some think nothing of it, and a couple have said theirs cost them more.

Are golfers rich? Again it depends on what your baseline is. I know people who have very little money who golf and I know millionaires who play golf. Do they spend their money differently, hell yes. Do they both love their golf? Hell yes, and equally at that.
 

Albo

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I think you need to look at green fees slightly differently from equipment.
You can, if you want pick up a 2nd hand driver from a few years ago for a much much more reasonable price than a new club.
Green fees however you can’t, you pay what they ask or you don’t play. Winter prices are more reasonable or less unreasonable but then you have to contend with the possibility of the weather conspiring against you.

However, the question of is it too expensive, that has, unfortunately, got to be looked at from each individual’s circumstances. To some, many, it is, to others isn’t. But the price increases are a reflection of the market demand.
You also need to overlay value, one could buy a £600 driver, keep it for 10 years, play an average of 30 rounds a year with it, use it on average 10 times a round and it costs you 20p per hit, double those hits if you visit the range and your at 10p per hit. I’m not arguing £600 is value for money, just illustrating what it could be broken down into.
 

Jacko_G

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By looking at the top end, you are essentially saying golf can be expensive.
Consumables like golf balls feel like they have gone up a lot less than general inflation.
Green fees at middle to upper ranked courses have increased. But I feel that green fees on ordinary courses haven't gone up over general inflation.
I don't think clubs have become expensive unless you have to buy the latest model before it gets discounted.

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.
 

BiMGuy

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Only if you can’t afford it.

No one has to pay £600 for a driver or a £300 green fee. But there are thousands of people who can and will.
 

Jacko_G

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Is Golf now too expensive???

Yes, but only if you buy expensive equipment and choose to play at expensive courses.

I fully appreciate different budgets. Is £50 for an average course good value? Is £100 too much?

If we go back to manufacturers/equipment. A set of irons used to be 3-S. Over the years they whittled that down to 3-W, now its down to 4-W. All to maximize profit at the consumer expense. Then they sell you hybrids or utility irons to bridge the gap. A specialist wedge or two....

They know how to exploit the consumer.
 

KenL

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No. How expensive golf is, is determined by how much it costs if you want to play golf, not how much its possible to spend to play golf.

Golfers are rich. They are happy to hand over their money to buy branding. They have the money to concede to the brainwashing of the advertisers. Drivers is a funny one admittedly. They are all the same, but a lot a men (not women) keep parting with cash ('investing' they call it to hide the fact that it will yield them nothing other than soothe their consumerism) for a club in a different shade of grey, and convince themselves they like the sound a little better.
Golfers are rich! What rubbish.
 

BiMGuy

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I fully appreciate different budgets. Is £50 for an average course good value? Is £100 too much?

If we go back to manufacturers/equipment. A set of irons used to be 3-S. Over the years they whittled that down to 3-W, now its down to 4-W. All to maximize profit at the consumer expense. Then they sell you hybrids or utility irons to bridge the gap. A specialist wedge or two....

They know how to exploit the consumer.

So don’t buy them then.
 
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