Price of a golf round

[RetiredBoomer]

On 6/9/2024 at 11:45 PM, AverageSizedDog said:

I feel golf has gotten pretty expensive. I feel that golf has gotten popular, or least my algorithm has told me that. Because of the popularity of golf, course pros raise the prices because of demand. 

That's possibly, but I think that golf is expensive because of what it costs to maintain and manicure 150 acres this day and age.

In my area, we've had more courses close than open.  With the cost of housing in the Northeast, a non-member owned course is worth incredible money in house lots, and the owners take notice.  Although I belong to a modest little club, there was a green fee course in my area that I loved to play at least two or three times a year.  It was a very pretty executive length course that I could comfortably walk.  It's gone.

Golf began as an elite game in America, almost on a level with yacht racing and polo, at least here in the Northeast, and became widely available to the working class during the booming economic expansion of the 1950s.  That was Arnie's Army time, and people began playing in droves.  I'm not sure that that's still the case today. 

 

 

 

[beale722]

This one is definitely relative in my opinion.

Here in the Winston Salem, NC area, you can still find plenty of options <$70 per round range (with a fair number of $40-50 options).  I would consider that to be a reasonable value for the courses in the area that I have played at least.

That said, we just moved here from Orlando, FL and that place has exploded.  Good luck finding much of anything <$100 per round unless its twilight golf.  The Disney courses made the jump a few years back and it seems like everyone else followed suit.  Now, to be fair the courses are quite a few steps above what I have locally now, but over $100 to play 18 is a hard sell I think.

[JimmyMac923]

In some cases - absolutely. In other cases....sort of?

In Canada, some public courses (usually your lower-mid tier courses) sit around $40-$60 for 18. That's not including if you take a cart which is a standard $20 easily for a lot of the spots around here. Walking has really helped.

Some of the better spots can be $80ish at least with some getting to ~$100There is also the situation of location - in the sports where people cottage/vacation - alot of courses are similarly priced. 

COVID grew the game, but it also shrinked our wallets on the courses...in a way lol

[Djgettysburg]

Yes and no. You’re always going to expect to pay more for courses that are known to have professional tours come through and more than just concessions and a beer cart. I never make a teatime with any course directly. I use the golf now discount app I end up getting around for what I would like to pay at one of the more expensive courses. it works out also, there are hidden gems everywhere. There’s a small course in Gettysburg off White Church Road and some people poopoo it—

Thing is it’s 18 holes. It has a tremendous amount of difference in elevation all throughout the course. The greens are without a doubt, absolutely loved by someone; they are spongy and beautiful and roll naturally.
There’s no clubhouse-no 19th hole….there’s no beer cart. You can bring beverages on the course. 

On any given day, nine holes with the cart and clubs if you just happen to forget them, it’s $13. 
Middle of the summer primetime after 5 - 9 holes w cart $8 

 

You cannot get better than this and the courses well loved and really excellent to play on especially at these prices. 

[Hook DeLoft]

Where I play, the single membership is between $210 and $220 a month (I don't have the statement in front of me).  I am retired and play a lot, so that is a good deal for me.  Having said that, over $200 a month is a lot of money for most people in our country.  And pay as you go golf costs in my area are in the range of $50 to $70 per round.  Again, that is a lot of money for most people.  Golf remains an expensive hobby.  I wish it was cheaper so that more could enjoy the game, but it just isn't, especially given the expectations of players concerning the maintenance of the course.  It costs a lot of money to keep a golf course in the shape players' want.

[Hindsy1987]

Definitely as a kid it was $5 in green fees at my most recent club "Margaret river" its over $40 for 9 holes.... this doesn't change even when coring 

[bama no 1]

30 minutes ago, Hindsy1987 said:

Definitely as a kid it was $5 in green fees at my most recent club "Margaret river" its over $40 for 9 holes.... this doesn't change even when coring 

i agree that courses should reduce the fee after aeration.

[MGSMGSMGSMGS]

On 6/30/2024 at 5:51 PM, Hindsy1987 said:

Definitely as a kid it was $5 in green fees at my most recent club "Margaret river" its over $40 for 9 holes.... this doesn't change even when coring 

Those were the good old days!  I can remember playing the local university course for like 10 bucks as a jr.  Now they've made it more and more exclusive and expensive

I'm lucky where I live now -  I found out about a local broadcasting company that has daily deals.   I've been able to snag certificates for a round with a cart for 5-10 dollars.  Other courses have deals on certain days,  32-40 bucks for 18 with a cart. 

[Dropping2]

Depends on where you play. There's a set of municipal courses near me that only charge $30 with a cart or $16 to walk. There's nicer courses in the set that charge up to $60 with a cart. But that price drops plenty during twilight rounds. 

I never played weekend mornings or other premium tee times when I was starting out. Cost being the main issue. I always searched for the deal and walked everytime. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

Sometimes I don't understand the logic! I just played a private course on Sunday just up the coast from North Myrtle Beach. A member can bring guests for a fee. I was with a member and my fee was $43.00. For that course it was a bargain. Im talking nice. Fairways were like carpet and greens were rolling over 10. Heres the kicker, the member had to pay $56.00. How does that even make sense? He is already paying for a membership (an expensive  membership to boot). 

I belong to two clubs and members don't pay to play golf. Its included in your membership. You pay for a cart if you want to ride.  Guests pay to play golf. This is the first time I ever heard of the member paying more than the guest. 

[Josh Parker]

3 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Sometimes I don't understand the logic! I just played a private course on Sunday just up the coast from North Myrtle Beach. A member can bring guests for a fee. I was with a member and my fee was $43.00. For that course it was a bargain. Im talking nice. Fairways were like carpet and greens were rolling over 10. Heres the kicker, the member had to pay $56.00. How does that even make sense? He is already paying for a membership (an expensive  membership to boot). 

I belong to two clubs and members don't pay to play golf. Its included in your membership. You pay for a cart if you want to ride.  Guests pay to play golf. This is the first time I ever heard of the member paying more than the guest. 

Is it possibly the type of membership they have?  I know a few courses here you can be a "member" but only play weekdays. Pay full price on weekends but guest gets like 20-30% off.  

[Tom the Golf Nut]

15 minutes ago, Josh Parker said:

Is it possibly the type of membership they have?  I know a few courses here you can be a "member" but only play weekdays. Pay full price on weekends but guest gets like 20-30% off.  

I just pulled up some details from their website. You can get a signature membership which is unlimited golf. Then a sport membership which comes with 30 rounds at a discounted rate. Then a social membership with 12 rounds a year at a discounted rate.  Since he stated he plays four times a week and there is no off season it still doesn't make sense unless he play off campus as well. They do have 81 holes on site. So I'll assume he has the sport membership and plays off campus as well. I didn't want to get to nosey. It just took me by surprise that a guest would pay less.

[Shrek74]

Well, where I live it's not. At $41/round including cart, I can't complain. It's a bit more for guests, but still not nearly as bad as just about anywhere else.

[Josh Parker]

7 minutes ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

I just pulled up some details from their website. You can get a signature membership which is unlimited golf. Then a sport membership which comes with 30 rounds at a discounted rate. Then a social membership with 12 rounds a year at a discounted rate.  Since he stated he plays four times a week and there is no off season it still doesn't make sense unless he play off campus as well. They do have 81 holes on site. So I'll assume he has the sport membership and plays off campus as well. I didn't want to get to nosey. It just took me by surprise that a guest would pay less.

Yeah, I can imagine it throwing someone off for sure.  Sounds like a super nice course!

[bander23]

On 4/21/2024 at 7:34 PM, JCole said:

Do you think the price of a round of golf has gotten to pricey?

I feel like it has pushed to where it is silly not to get a membership somewhere. The frustrating part with that is then you feel stuck playing one course since you have “already paid for it”. Here in Minnesota they do offer a Public Country Club which acts like a streaming service for playing over 150 courses for a monthly membership fee. Of course all of those courses may also have stipulations on when you can play. 

[Tom the Golf Nut]

3 hours ago, bander23 said:

I feel like it has pushed to where it is silly not to get a membership somewhere. The frustrating part with that is then you feel stuck playing one course since you have “already paid for it”. Here in Minnesota they do offer a Public Country Club which acts like a streaming service for playing over 150 courses for a monthly membership fee. Of course all of those courses may also have stipulations on when you can play. 

Memberships are good if you play enough to justify the expense. But even if you don't it still can be worth it to you. The course is not crowded, members take care of the course, practice areas are much better and you generally get a tee time when you want.

For me it makes sense. My course is 7 minutes away. The next closest course is 30 minutes and the daily rate is double mine. The further I drive the more it costs. I'm between Pinehurst and Myrtle Beach. That’s why the rates get higher the further I go, or should I say get closer to the mega golf areas. 

I don't feel like I'm stuck because I do play other courses once in a while as well as travel for work and play with customers. My course is also tricky with narrow fairways, small greens, and a lot of placement shots due to doglegs. If you can play well there, other courses seem easier. So its a good way to get good. Trust me it needs some work but it really forces you to slow down and think.

[Hacker60521]

We belong to a club that has around 300 members that have golf privileges. So to @Tom the Golf Nut point, I won’t play enough rounds to makeup for the additional membership cost over a “social” membership.  But the quality of the course, amenities, etc are also part of what my dues cover. 

[GolfInTheCity]

Golf has always been a 'premium sport', but prices at local munis have gotten aggressive as well as the higher end courses that are open to the public. Amazingly, the demand is there as my local munis are effectively sold out every weekend. So, while I want to say yes, Golf has gotten too expensive, the truth is, the demand outpaces the supply even at these prices.

 

Equipment and apparel on the other hand, has gotten too expensive. It turns me off from thinking about new equipment when a new driver costs $600. 

[Roomspimp]

Golf is expensive. There is a reason for that. On the business side, golf is not real profitable for many courses. Where I live the price can range from $35.00 to $400.00. There are 120 courses in the Coachella Valley so you can pre-determine how much you want to pay. My club is $7,000.00 initiation and $1,000.00 per month for unlimited golf. After initiation between my wife and I it averages out to just under $40.00 per round.  

[MCMSR]

A follow up to my April post … At my current local ‘public’ course (just under 6,000yards, par 71), the membership rates are $750/weekdays & $1,100/Full; no additional cost to walk; cart is only $10-9h/$20-18h; full range with $5/small & $8/large buckets; most expensive lesson package is $300(6/1hr). Typically play 1/18 & 3-4/9s weekdays-only … Non-member, 18h-rates run $40-45/weekdays & $55/weekends (including cart). After >30 years, the club is ‘for sale’ — Hopefully, the future costs remain reasonable.

[Rob17452]

I've been playing for the past five years and where I live in Florida every winter the prices go up and then tend to fall a little during the summer. For some courses, the rates are far too high for the quality of the course. I'm fortunate enough to have probably 25-30 courses within an hour's drive to choose from. So, I can compare prices and check the reviews before I book. 

But when it comes to is a course priced to high, I think that depends on one's budget, how well the course is maintained, and how much you like playing the course. I am willing to pay more for courses I really like.

[Zman56]

I play the Denver, CO public courses of which there are 7 to choose.  I paid $50 in January to be a Loyalty Member and be able to book 14 days in advance and then every 10 rounds, I get a free round.  The Senior walking rate is $30.  Plus where I live, Greenwood Village has a Recreation Reimbursement of 50% up to $500!  So my rounds as a Senior walking are $15.  Great deal!

[LeftyKP]

Great question. Overall, I am sure prices have gone up by me. However, I don't actually mind where they are at, let me explain.

I have a variety of courses near me that range in price from approximately $19-$40 for 9 holes walking. I am fortunate to live somewhere with a lot of options, you truly get what you pay for. Because of the variety, the more expensive courses aren't as busy so when you actually want to spend the money it's easy to get a tee time. When you don't want to spend a lot, some of the smaller courses have weekly specials, with 9 holes walking as cheap as $9. I typically have practice rounds on the cheaper courses and play with friends on the more expensive courses.

Note that I only talk about walking rates, because I think cart fees are getting pretty crazy expensive, but that is another story.

[PPP]

I’m from NYC and it’s disgusting that public courses charge so much, typically 50-70; carts are a separate charge that ranges from 20-40 for a single rider

public courses are funded by state tax dollars 

[bama no 1]

50 minutes ago, PPP said:

I’m from NYC and it’s disgusting that public courses charge so much, typically 50-70; carts are a separate charge that ranges from 20-40 for a single rider

public courses are funded by state tax dollars 

i would suggest a political solution to the issue.

[PPP]

Just now, bama no 1 said:

i would suggest a political solution to the issue.

I agree 

[RyuOmega33]

I live in the charlotte area. And if I'm playing 18, it's gonna cost me 60+ dollars for the day. On a weekday. I would say it's too expensive, but people are paying it and I'm still trying to play once a week. 

[BlaizerMayfield]

In Tulsa, OK it is anywhere for 30$ all the way up to 165$. Depending on how nice of an experience you want and who you know. 

[David Rakoczy]

I am located in the Tristate Area and yes a lot of courses can be expensive,

There are some that are relatively affordable, such as Westwood (NJ) and Paxon Hollow(PA)

Then you have some of Jaworski’s courses that are insane, up too $135.00 on Weekends in the summer, such as Riverwinds and Blue Heron

I acquired the Victory Golf Pass, we golfed Seaview last year and it saved us about $200.00, for a 50.00 book it’s not to bad. Definitely worth it for the avid player.

Picture of Book attached!

 

[matt_puttercup]

I look at it a few ways.  Top-end public courses everywhere have likely priced out the overwhelming majority of people, which stinks, but, supply and demand, I guess... And where I live in the Seattle area, demand vastly outweighs supply, so we just have to pay what they charge.  There are three classes of courses -- those muni's all managed by a company called Premier Golf Centers, which have listed rates under $50 but use dynamic pricing and tend to actually charge closer to $60, and tend to be decently maintained; those "premium" publics all managed by Oki Golf, which tend to run $100+ and are seen more and more as way overpriced for the quality, which tends to be on par with muni's (with the Willows Run courses and Druids Glen basically in the same category of overpriced for what you get); and those publics down in the south Sound like Gold Mountain and the Home Course that are gems -- greens fees under $100 and typically very well maintained.