Why is golf so expensive?

[Luke James]

I can definitely bet that many of us would have once thought - "Why is golf so expensive"? What do you think - Yes or No? What could be the reason behind this? 

Edited March 21, 2023 by Luke James

[cnosil]

Expensive is relative and related to how much disposable income a person has and how much they spend on a particular hobby.   
 

i can purchase equipment for what I consider to be an inexpensive price.  Used clubs from the early 2000s (or earlier) are still decent clubs and can be obtained for a couple hundred dollars. I can buy used balls in bulk.  I can play twilight rounds of golf at municipal courses relatively inexpensively.   I don’t have to drink alcohol while on the course; which is an expensive purchase.  
 

I can choose to get fit, buy the latest and greatest equipment, play a new ball every hole, play prime time at a private course and the game becomes much more expensive.  
 

most every hobby can be expensive; it is about the individuals perspective and how they choose to spend their money while doing that hobby.  

[cnosil]

Expensive is relative and related to how much disposable income a person has and how much they spend on a particular hobby.   
 

i can purchase equipment for what I consider to be an inexpensive price.  Used clubs from the early 2000s (or earlier) are still decent clubs and can be obtained for a couple hundred dollars. I can buy used balls in bulk.  I can play twilight rounds of golf at municipal courses relatively inexpensively.   I don’t have to drink alcohol while on the course; which is an expensive purchase.  
 

I can choose to get fit, buy the latest and greatest equipment, play a new ball every hole, play prime time at a private course and the game becomes much more expensive.  
 

most every hobby can be expensive; it is about the individuals perspective and how they choose to spend their money while doing that hobby.  

[cnosil]

Expensive is relative and related to how much disposable income a person has and how much they spend on a particular hobby.   
 

i can purchase equipment for what I consider to be an inexpensive price.  Used clubs from the early 2000s (or earlier) are still decent clubs and can be obtained for a couple hundred dollars. I can buy used balls in bulk.  I can play twilight rounds of golf at municipal courses relatively inexpensively.   I don’t have to drink alcohol while on the course; which is an expensive purchase.  
 

I can choose to get fit, buy the latest and greatest equipment, play a new ball every hole, play prime time at a private course and the game becomes much more expensive.  
 

most every hobby can be expensive; it is about the individuals perspective and how they choose to spend their money while doing that hobby.  

[cnosil]

Expensive is relative and related to how much disposable income a person has and how much they spend on a particular hobby.   
 

i can purchase equipment for what I consider to be an inexpensive price.  Used clubs from the early 2000s (or earlier) are still decent clubs and can be obtained for a couple hundred dollars. I can buy used balls in bulk.  I can play twilight rounds of golf at municipal courses relatively inexpensively.   I don’t have to drink alcohol while on the course; which is an expensive purchase.  
 

I can choose to get fit, buy the latest and greatest equipment, play a new ball every hole, play prime time at a private course and the game becomes much more expensive.  
 

most every hobby can be expensive; it is about the individuals perspective and how they choose to spend their money while doing that hobby.  

[cnosil]

Expensive is relative and related to how much disposable income a person has and how much they spend on a particular hobby.   
 

i can purchase equipment for what I consider to be an inexpensive price.  Used clubs from the early 2000s (or earlier) are still decent clubs and can be obtained for a couple hundred dollars. I can buy used balls in bulk.  I can play twilight rounds of golf at municipal courses relatively inexpensively.   I don’t have to drink alcohol while on the course; which is an expensive purchase.  
 

I can choose to get fit, buy the latest and greatest equipment, play a new ball every hole, play prime time at a private course and the game becomes much more expensive.  
 

most every hobby can be expensive; it is about the individuals perspective and how they choose to spend their money while doing that hobby.  

[cnosil]

Expensive is relative and related to how much disposable income a person has and how much they spend on a particular hobby.   
 

i can purchase equipment for what I consider to be an inexpensive price.  Used clubs from the early 2000s (or earlier) are still decent clubs and can be obtained for a couple hundred dollars. I can buy used balls in bulk.  I can play twilight rounds of golf at municipal courses relatively inexpensively.   I don’t have to drink alcohol while on the course; which is an expensive purchase.  
 

I can choose to get fit, buy the latest and greatest equipment, play a new ball every hole, play prime time at a private course and the game becomes much more expensive.  
 

most every hobby can be expensive; it is about the individuals perspective and how they choose to spend their money while doing that hobby.  

[cnosil]

Expensive is relative and related to how much disposable income a person has and how much they spend on a particular hobby.   
 

i can purchase equipment for what I consider to be an inexpensive price.  Used clubs from the early 2000s (or earlier) are still decent clubs and can be obtained for a couple hundred dollars. I can buy used balls in bulk.  I can play twilight rounds of golf at municipal courses relatively inexpensively.   I don’t have to drink alcohol while on the course; which is an expensive purchase.  
 

I can choose to get fit, buy the latest and greatest equipment, play a new ball every hole, play prime time at a private course and the game becomes much more expensive.  
 

most every hobby can be expensive; it is about the individuals perspective and how they choose to spend their money while doing that hobby.  

[cnosil]

Expensive is relative and related to how much disposable income a person has and how much they spend on a particular hobby.   
 

i can purchase equipment for what I consider to be an inexpensive price.  Used clubs from the early 2000s (or earlier) are still decent clubs and can be obtained for a couple hundred dollars. I can buy used balls in bulk.  I can play twilight rounds of golf at municipal courses relatively inexpensively.   I don’t have to drink alcohol while on the course; which is an expensive purchase.  
 

I can choose to get fit, buy the latest and greatest equipment, play a new ball every hole, play prime time at a private course and the game becomes much more expensive.  
 

most every hobby can be expensive; it is about the individuals perspective and how they choose to spend their money while doing that hobby.  

[RickyBobby_PR]

Define expensive?

To me golf will cost only what someone is willing to spend. The average weekend golfer can buy used clubs and play them for as long as they want and enjoy the game. The golfer can play 9 or munis for low cost, they could play off hours and save cost in green fees. There are balls for varying prices. 
 

Expensive is also relative to one’s expendable income. A rolls Royce for most people is expensive but to a multi millionaire or billionaire it’s not that expensive. 

Golf like any hobby will cost more money the more one dives into the hobby. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Define expensive?

To me golf will cost only what someone is willing to spend. The average weekend golfer can buy used clubs and play them for as long as they want and enjoy the game. The golfer can play 9 or munis for low cost, they could play off hours and save cost in green fees. There are balls for varying prices. 
 

Expensive is also relative to one’s expendable income. A rolls Royce for most people is expensive but to a multi millionaire or billionaire it’s not that expensive. 

Golf like any hobby will cost more money the more one dives into the hobby. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Define expensive?

To me golf will cost only what someone is willing to spend. The average weekend golfer can buy used clubs and play them for as long as they want and enjoy the game. The golfer can play 9 or munis for low cost, they could play off hours and save cost in green fees. There are balls for varying prices. 
 

Expensive is also relative to one’s expendable income. A rolls Royce for most people is expensive but to a multi millionaire or billionaire it’s not that expensive. 

Golf like any hobby will cost more money the more one dives into the hobby. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Define expensive?

To me golf will cost only what someone is willing to spend. The average weekend golfer can buy used clubs and play them for as long as they want and enjoy the game. The golfer can play 9 or munis for low cost, they could play off hours and save cost in green fees. There are balls for varying prices. 
 

Expensive is also relative to one’s expendable income. A rolls Royce for most people is expensive but to a multi millionaire or billionaire it’s not that expensive. 

Golf like any hobby will cost more money the more one dives into the hobby. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Define expensive?

To me golf will cost only what someone is willing to spend. The average weekend golfer can buy used clubs and play them for as long as they want and enjoy the game. The golfer can play 9 or munis for low cost, they could play off hours and save cost in green fees. There are balls for varying prices. 
 

Expensive is also relative to one’s expendable income. A rolls Royce for most people is expensive but to a multi millionaire or billionaire it’s not that expensive. 

Golf like any hobby will cost more money the more one dives into the hobby. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Define expensive?

To me golf will cost only what someone is willing to spend. The average weekend golfer can buy used clubs and play them for as long as they want and enjoy the game. The golfer can play 9 or munis for low cost, they could play off hours and save cost in green fees. There are balls for varying prices. 
 

Expensive is also relative to one’s expendable income. A rolls Royce for most people is expensive but to a multi millionaire or billionaire it’s not that expensive. 

Golf like any hobby will cost more money the more one dives into the hobby. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Define expensive?

To me golf will cost only what someone is willing to spend. The average weekend golfer can buy used clubs and play them for as long as they want and enjoy the game. The golfer can play 9 or munis for low cost, they could play off hours and save cost in green fees. There are balls for varying prices. 
 

Expensive is also relative to one’s expendable income. A rolls Royce for most people is expensive but to a multi millionaire or billionaire it’s not that expensive. 

Golf like any hobby will cost more money the more one dives into the hobby. 

[RickyBobby_PR]

Define expensive?

To me golf will cost only what someone is willing to spend. The average weekend golfer can buy used clubs and play them for as long as they want and enjoy the game. The golfer can play 9 or munis for low cost, they could play off hours and save cost in green fees. There are balls for varying prices. 
 

Expensive is also relative to one’s expendable income. A rolls Royce for most people is expensive but to a multi millionaire or billionaire it’s not that expensive. 

Golf like any hobby will cost more money the more one dives into the hobby. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The maintenance cost of keeping the golf course itself up ranges from $700,000 to $1,400,000 per year.  The average number of rounds played on a course are 30,000. Right off the bat you are looking at $23.00 to $47.00 just to play and the course breaks even. Well not really once you add in payroll, property tax, insurance, and bla bla bla.

Equipment has always been an issue but really like everything else. You buy new and it depreciated the minute it leaves the store. Being in manufacturing most of my career, I know what the material costs are, and clubs are made for so much less than what you pay for them. However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit. Personally, I have always purchased one model year old equipment and saved 50%. I don't need to play a Pro V1 when a Maxfli Tour will give me the same results. I buy new golf shirts at Ross, Marshalls or TJ Max at over 50% off the original price and it is still name brand stuff. It's not that I'm cheap it is about saving money to play more golf and kind of how I was raised. We all work hard for our money, so I try to get the most out of it. 

I'm a member of a Country Club because it made more sense. There was no initiation fee, the monthly dues are less than if I played golf three times at a public course or once at a high-end course. Now I can play unlimited golf and still treat myself to other courses once in a while.

At the end of the day, you can do things the inexpensive way or not. It depends on the type of person you are and what your income situation is. But you can always make it work.  

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The maintenance cost of keeping the golf course itself up ranges from $700,000 to $1,400,000 per year.  The average number of rounds played on a course are 30,000. Right off the bat you are looking at $23.00 to $47.00 just to play and the course breaks even. Well not really once you add in payroll, property tax, insurance, and bla bla bla.

Equipment has always been an issue but really like everything else. You buy new and it depreciated the minute it leaves the store. Being in manufacturing most of my career, I know what the material costs are, and clubs are made for so much less than what you pay for them. However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit. Personally, I have always purchased one model year old equipment and saved 50%. I don't need to play a Pro V1 when a Maxfli Tour will give me the same results. I buy new golf shirts at Ross, Marshalls or TJ Max at over 50% off the original price and it is still name brand stuff. It's not that I'm cheap it is about saving money to play more golf and kind of how I was raised. We all work hard for our money, so I try to get the most out of it. 

I'm a member of a Country Club because it made more sense. There was no initiation fee, the monthly dues are less than if I played golf three times at a public course or once at a high-end course. Now I can play unlimited golf and still treat myself to other courses once in a while.

At the end of the day, you can do things the inexpensive way or not. It depends on the type of person you are and what your income situation is. But you can always make it work.  

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The maintenance cost of keeping the golf course itself up ranges from $700,000 to $1,400,000 per year.  The average number of rounds played on a course are 30,000. Right off the bat you are looking at $23.00 to $47.00 just to play and the course breaks even. Well not really once you add in payroll, property tax, insurance, and bla bla bla.

Equipment has always been an issue but really like everything else. You buy new and it depreciated the minute it leaves the store. Being in manufacturing most of my career, I know what the material costs are, and clubs are made for so much less than what you pay for them. However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit. Personally, I have always purchased one model year old equipment and saved 50%. I don't need to play a Pro V1 when a Maxfli Tour will give me the same results. I buy new golf shirts at Ross, Marshalls or TJ Max at over 50% off the original price and it is still name brand stuff. It's not that I'm cheap it is about saving money to play more golf and kind of how I was raised. We all work hard for our money, so I try to get the most out of it. 

I'm a member of a Country Club because it made more sense. There was no initiation fee, the monthly dues are less than if I played golf three times at a public course or once at a high-end course. Now I can play unlimited golf and still treat myself to other courses once in a while.

At the end of the day, you can do things the inexpensive way or not. It depends on the type of person you are and what your income situation is. But you can always make it work.  

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The maintenance cost of keeping the golf course itself up ranges from $700,000 to $1,400,000 per year.  The average number of rounds played on a course are 30,000. Right off the bat you are looking at $23.00 to $47.00 just to play and the course breaks even. Well not really once you add in payroll, property tax, insurance, and bla bla bla.

Equipment has always been an issue but really like everything else. You buy new and it depreciated the minute it leaves the store. Being in manufacturing most of my career, I know what the material costs are, and clubs are made for so much less than what you pay for them. However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit. Personally, I have always purchased one model year old equipment and saved 50%. I don't need to play a Pro V1 when a Maxfli Tour will give me the same results. I buy new golf shirts at Ross, Marshalls or TJ Max at over 50% off the original price and it is still name brand stuff. It's not that I'm cheap it is about saving money to play more golf and kind of how I was raised. We all work hard for our money, so I try to get the most out of it. 

I'm a member of a Country Club because it made more sense. There was no initiation fee, the monthly dues are less than if I played golf three times at a public course or once at a high-end course. Now I can play unlimited golf and still treat myself to other courses once in a while.

At the end of the day, you can do things the inexpensive way or not. It depends on the type of person you are and what your income situation is. But you can always make it work.  

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The maintenance cost of keeping the golf course itself up ranges from $700,000 to $1,400,000 per year.  The average number of rounds played on a course are 30,000. Right off the bat you are looking at $23.00 to $47.00 just to play and the course breaks even. Well not really once you add in payroll, property tax, insurance, and bla bla bla.

Equipment has always been an issue but really like everything else. You buy new and it depreciated the minute it leaves the store. Being in manufacturing most of my career, I know what the material costs are, and clubs are made for so much less than what you pay for them. However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit. Personally, I have always purchased one model year old equipment and saved 50%. I don't need to play a Pro V1 when a Maxfli Tour will give me the same results. I buy new golf shirts at Ross, Marshalls or TJ Max at over 50% off the original price and it is still name brand stuff. It's not that I'm cheap it is about saving money to play more golf and kind of how I was raised. We all work hard for our money, so I try to get the most out of it. 

I'm a member of a Country Club because it made more sense. There was no initiation fee, the monthly dues are less than if I played golf three times at a public course or once at a high-end course. Now I can play unlimited golf and still treat myself to other courses once in a while.

At the end of the day, you can do things the inexpensive way or not. It depends on the type of person you are and what your income situation is. But you can always make it work.  

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The maintenance cost of keeping the golf course itself up ranges from $700,000 to $1,400,000 per year.  The average number of rounds played on a course are 30,000. Right off the bat you are looking at $23.00 to $47.00 just to play and the course breaks even. Well not really once you add in payroll, property tax, insurance, and bla bla bla.

Equipment has always been an issue but really like everything else. You buy new and it depreciated the minute it leaves the store. Being in manufacturing most of my career, I know what the material costs are, and clubs are made for so much less than what you pay for them. However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit. Personally, I have always purchased one model year old equipment and saved 50%. I don't need to play a Pro V1 when a Maxfli Tour will give me the same results. I buy new golf shirts at Ross, Marshalls or TJ Max at over 50% off the original price and it is still name brand stuff. It's not that I'm cheap it is about saving money to play more golf and kind of how I was raised. We all work hard for our money, so I try to get the most out of it. 

I'm a member of a Country Club because it made more sense. There was no initiation fee, the monthly dues are less than if I played golf three times at a public course or once at a high-end course. Now I can play unlimited golf and still treat myself to other courses once in a while.

At the end of the day, you can do things the inexpensive way or not. It depends on the type of person you are and what your income situation is. But you can always make it work.  

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The maintenance cost of keeping the golf course itself up ranges from $700,000 to $1,400,000 per year.  The average number of rounds played on a course are 30,000. Right off the bat you are looking at $23.00 to $47.00 just to play and the course breaks even. Well not really once you add in payroll, property tax, insurance, and bla bla bla.

Equipment has always been an issue but really like everything else. You buy new and it depreciated the minute it leaves the store. Being in manufacturing most of my career, I know what the material costs are, and clubs are made for so much less than what you pay for them. However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit. Personally, I have always purchased one model year old equipment and saved 50%. I don't need to play a Pro V1 when a Maxfli Tour will give me the same results. I buy new golf shirts at Ross, Marshalls or TJ Max at over 50% off the original price and it is still name brand stuff. It's not that I'm cheap it is about saving money to play more golf and kind of how I was raised. We all work hard for our money, so I try to get the most out of it. 

I'm a member of a Country Club because it made more sense. There was no initiation fee, the monthly dues are less than if I played golf three times at a public course or once at a high-end course. Now I can play unlimited golf and still treat myself to other courses once in a while.

At the end of the day, you can do things the inexpensive way or not. It depends on the type of person you are and what your income situation is. But you can always make it work.  

[Tom the Golf Nut]

The maintenance cost of keeping the golf course itself up ranges from $700,000 to $1,400,000 per year.  The average number of rounds played on a course are 30,000. Right off the bat you are looking at $23.00 to $47.00 just to play and the course breaks even. Well not really once you add in payroll, property tax, insurance, and bla bla bla.

Equipment has always been an issue but really like everything else. You buy new and it depreciated the minute it leaves the store. Being in manufacturing most of my career, I know what the material costs are, and clubs are made for so much less than what you pay for them. However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit. Personally, I have always purchased one model year old equipment and saved 50%. I don't need to play a Pro V1 when a Maxfli Tour will give me the same results. I buy new golf shirts at Ross, Marshalls or TJ Max at over 50% off the original price and it is still name brand stuff. It's not that I'm cheap it is about saving money to play more golf and kind of how I was raised. We all work hard for our money, so I try to get the most out of it. 

I'm a member of a Country Club because it made more sense. There was no initiation fee, the monthly dues are less than if I played golf three times at a public course or once at a high-end course. Now I can play unlimited golf and still treat myself to other courses once in a while.

At the end of the day, you can do things the inexpensive way or not. It depends on the type of person you are and what your income situation is. But you can always make it work.  

[Kansas King]

Maintaining 80 - 200+ acres of grass and vegetation is expensive, even at lower-end golf courses. This props up the cost of everything else. If people can afford to play on really any golf course, then they can also afford more expensive equipment and other more expensive stuff. Yes, there are less expensive ways to play golf but none compete with the costs of other "leisure" sports. Bowling and billiards would cost a fraction of even cheap golf in the long run. It all comes down to the real costs of the product being offered.

[RickyBobby_PR]

1 hour ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

However, you are paying for their marketing, research and development and profit

Also paying so the middle man can also make money. 

[null]

Western Birch Tees: 6.99 or 7.99 direct from their website

In stores on on retailer websites they're 12.99 or 14.99

Crazy retailer markup

[cnosil]

5 minutes ago, Golfspy_Lukes said:

Western Birch Tees: 6.99 or 7.99 direct from their website

In stores on on retailer websites they're 12.99 or 14.99

Crazy retailer markup

Western Birch Tees found on the ground at the range or on the course - Free

[Tom the Golf Nut]

It's called the zero factor! 

True example: At one time I worked for an Automotive supplier. We made the entire fuel system for many different cars. Pump, tank, heat shield. and gas lines.  I will use a Dodge Durango to show you. We sold it to Dodge for $110.00 and made a profit. I happened to own the Durango this went into. I went to the dealer and told them I hit a stump and ripped out the assembly (that we supplied) he told me the parts without installation would be $1,110.00.  Yup they added a zero.

The cost of a full set of irons is between $50 to $100. Yes, full set (materials and assembly). The range is due to cast or forged. What are you paying? Between $500 to $1000.  The zero factor again!

Currently with the new materials they can get away with more. Because we are willing pay more. Special titanium, carbon fiber faces, and such so the cost has gone up a little but now you are only at $130 or $140 so here comes the zero again. I just priced the new Callaway. Five iron to Gap wedge will set me back $1300. Obviously, I'm not willing to pay that but is shows the zero factor is alive and well.