Is the cost of living crisis affecting your golf/plans?

[Oddsocks]

After looking at a few replies....
1. Look at something other than the big name brands for clubs. I just bought a set of Sub 70 irons....I'm now playing those instead of my old Ping i500. Just bought a set of Sub70 irons 5-PW with graphite shafts for £420....and delivered about 11 days after ordering. There are a number of these companies who are putting out great products, but people won't look at them because they aren't one of the big companies. There are plenty of reviews out there from very dependable sites (like TXG) It's your money, but.......
2. I won't buy a box of balls in the £40+ range. I can afford it, I just won't pay it (same as I won't pay £5+ for a pint of beer) I just don't see the difference in the real world....almost everybody else won't either. Just bought 2 boxes of Titleist Tour Speed, and just coming off a couple boxes of Bridgestone E12 Contact (pretty nice balls....less than £25)...but they look a bit strange...and golfers don't like things looking strange...but the reviews are good (again, check TXG).
3. I won't pay £50+ a round to play golf somewhere else.

I tend to buy my gear used/ex demo and keep it for a season or two before moving on so I rarely lose any significant money. I definitely think gear sales will slow which will inevitably force prices to increase

 

[Old Colner]

chances are I will get a nomad handicap and just pay and play and maybe enter some opens

I think you will find that most Opens have entry conditions, one of which is usually membership of a golf club.

 

[Billysboots]

Having recently retired, I now work part time with a plan to do three days a week during winter, and two when the weather improves to allow more time on the golf course.

My pension and part time earnings provide more than enough. If prices continue to rise I’ll just add a day a week next winter to plug the gap.

 

[patricks148]

I do a fair bit of driving to play and that's going to have an effect i expect once I start going to opens from April, what with fuel over 150 a litre

 

[Crazyface]

Not in our household. We haven't got sky sports or by for that matter. Only basic TV. Car is purchased and cheap, over ten years old. Phones are 6 quid a month each. I've been toying with ditching BBC licence for ages, might do that. We're quite careful with money. No foreign trip this year either. All good. Nice (well not really) to finally see a post worrying about petrol at last. It's gone up 50p a ltre since lockdown you know. That a bluddy lot, yet only now we start to see post about it. Jesus, gas and leccy haven't gone up yet and we already see them kicking off about that.

 

[Lord Tyrion]

Membership subs are put to one side, Opens are already entered and largely paid for. The higher cost of living may well prevent some extra away days but if that is the case then I can't really complain, I'm having a good year already.

 

[Mandofred]

I tend to buy my gear used/ex demo and keep it for a season or two before moving on so I rarely lose any significant money. I definitely think gear sales will slow which will inevitably force prices to increase

Really? If I understood what you are saying, you think a club selling for £400 now will be more expensive if they don't sell as many? I'd have thought it would cause the manufacturers to have to take a cut on price if things aren't selling. Or.....are you talking about the used market? Such as the high price of used cars these days......

I do think there will be a sharp decline in golf members over the next year....1 April seems to be the start of most clubs next season.....I'm curious if the numbers change as early as next month. Golf is not cheap.

 

[fenwayrich]

I'm retired and have no dependants and so, Armageddon aside, I won't be affected enough to cause any change in golfing enjoyment. My club is rumoured to be increasing subs by a significant amount. I hope this doesn't cause an exodus of our working members with increased bills and family commitments to consider. We shall see.

 

[Oddsocks]

Really? If I understood what you are saying, you think a club selling for £400 now will be more expensive if they don't sell as many? I'd have thought it would cause the manufacturers to have to take a cut on price if things aren't selling. Or.....are you talking about the used market? Such as the high price of used cars these days......

I do think there will be a sharp decline in golf members over the next year....1 April seems to be the start of most clubs next season.....I'm curious if the numbers change as early as next month. Golf is not cheap.

Club manufactures have overheads which will only increase with raw material costs, energy costs and wages increase etc. if they are not shifting the volume to hit the required profit there is no other option. Sell more a less margin or sell less at more margin. If sales drop by 20%, expect to see a similar increase in equipment prices to cover the loss of profit.

 

[chellie]

Not in our household. We haven't got sky sports or by for that matter. Only basic TV. Car is purchased and cheap, over ten years old. Phones are 6 quid a month each. I've been toying with ditching BBC licence for ages, might do that. We're quite careful with money. No foreign trip this year either. All good. Nice (well not really) to finally see a post worrying about petrol at last. It's gone up 50p a ltre since lockdown you know. That a bluddy lot, yet only now we start to see post about it. Jesus, gas and leccy haven't gone up yet and we already see them kicking off about that.

Have you seen the increases in gas and electricity costs? They are going up an average of 54% now and that's before further increases in October. For lots of people it will be heat or eat!

 

[IanM]

I do think there will be a sharp decline in golf members over the next year....1 April seems to be the start of most clubs next season.....I'm curious if the numbers change as early as next month. Golf is not cheap.

At least that will cheer up the folk complaining about lack of start times, reappearance of joining fees and outrageous green fees in the other threads!

I'm not saying you're right or wrong, but smiling about how this forum has anxiety about both ends of possibilities.

 

[Ser Shankalot]

Club manufactures have overheads which will only increase with raw material costs, energy costs and wages increase etc. if they are not shifting the volume to hit the required profit there is no other option. Sell more a less margin or sell less at more margin. If sales drop by 20%, expect to see a similar increase in equipment prices to cover the loss of profit.

That is true if the demand curve stays the same. But if it drops, generally in most industries prices will also drop along with profits. Although now that Callaway has dropped Phil, maybe they suddenly have a lot of spare cash to cushion the blow.

 

[Baldy Bouncer]

Nope!

 

[SyR]

If my energy prices keep going up, I'm going to have to start an onlyfans account to keep up with my golf habit.

 

[r0wly86]

Club manufactures have overheads which will only increase with raw material costs, energy costs and wages increase etc. if they are not shifting the volume to hit the required profit there is no other option. Sell more a less margin or sell less at more margin. If sales drop by 20%, expect to see a similar increase in equipment prices to cover the loss of profit.

That is true and of course exchange rates play a big part

But the big manufacturers spend an exorbitant amount on sponsorship, if people aren't buying their products I doubt jacking up the price will encourage sales, so they may look at saving money elsewhere

 

[Backache]

Not currently but I guess going forward it will depend on how inflation is actually sitting.

 

[Blue in Munich]

Fortunately not; we are both still working and the house is paid for, so we won't be impacted too much.

I was going to treat myself on a new set of irons this year in honour of a significant birthday, but although I can afford them, I've come to the conclusion that the manufacturers are taking the proverbial with prices so I will stick with what I've got for the time being. Maybe that's something to base an article on, if it doesn't come across as biting the hand that feeds you?

 

[Deleted member 16999]

Me personally, No. But I do fear the knock on effect of rising prices will result in the collapse of some Golf Clubs in the next few years.

I don’t believe wages will rise in comparison to the cost of living and the leisure industry is normally one of the first areas to suffer.

 

[Jason.H]

Well I joined my local course and got in straight away in November. There’s another club more than double the price with a big joining fee that’s equidistant that I’ve put my name on the waiting list. They said they will be in touch spring time with new allocations and then it will be decision time. Not sure I want to pay a big joining fee in the present climate.

 

[HomerJSimpson]

I think the point about players leaving as the energy price increase hits as well as petrol and food going up. They will have to prioritise and as money becomes tight, golf fees (perhaps thoughts of joining somewhere especially if there is a joining fee as well) may be seen as a luxury