The Economy & Golf

[Diane]

I've been reading a lot lately about fewer people playing golf - for many different reasons. At the same time, all of the public courses near me have increased their greens fees. I'm fortunate in that we have two town courses and after paying a nominal fee for an annual pass, my greens fees are still fairly low. However, I enjoy playing other courses where the greens fees range from $60 - $130 dollars. As I pay a lot more for gas ($3.75/gallon this morning) and groceries each week, I've had to think a bit more about my budget. I still plan to play other courses, but will probably do so less frequently and will opt for twilight times when the greens fees are a bit lower. Has anyone else made adjustments or is it golf as usual?

[coralpro]

I generally play one course that is open to the public but also has a club arrangement as well. I'm not a member because I can buy a card for 24 rounds and it only costs 200.00 which makes it 8.33 a day if I walk. They charge 12.00 a round for the motorized cart. The owners wife also allows me to only pay 5.00 for additional rounds to use the cart as well. Other courses around here vary from 21.00 to 36.00 including carts for the majority with a few high end courses costing around 50.00 with cart for weekday play. Prices for weekend go up from 5-10 generally compared to the prices for weekday. Gas price has effected our business but not my golf.

[indacup]

Memberships, especially with courses with reciprocating relationships will be the future in order for the game to prosper.

[Diane]

Originally Posted by indacup

Memberships, especially with courses with reciprocating relationships will be the future in order for the game to prosper.

That may work in less populated areas or locations with more courses such as FL, but that's not feasible in New England. There is no land to build new courses and when they do, they're commanding initiation fees of $100K - $1M. A bargain around here is an initial bond of $50K and some of these courses have 10 year waiting lists to play once you finally get approved by the membership committee. The munis aren't going to go even semi-private anytime soon.

[Darth Fader]

I pay £475 a year ($950) membership fees,thats un-limited golf at my home course. Local municipal charge about £9.20 ($18) per round,although you can bye a rover ticket for £300 ($600) that allows you to play several municipal courses all year,thats un-limited as well,

As for Fuel,most people i know now pay more to fill the tank than they are on monthly repayments for the car itself,current prices are £1.03 ($2.06) per litre for petrol and £1.11 ($2.22) for diesel per litre.

[arbitrage]

I have decided that I will play a lot more on the NYC muni courses this year instead of driving out to the Long Island courses and I am debating whether or not to participate in any Golf Channel Amateur Tour events this year. The GCAT events run between $130-$160 and they are at least an hour drive for me to get to. With the price of gas right now I think I'd rather drive 15 minutes to the local muni and pay my $42.50.

[Wazmankg]

Golf has always been cheap around here relative to most other major metro areas and states. I don't expect that to change with the current state of Michigan's economy. The resort courses up north still command top dollar but you can play just about any public course around here for under $60 cart included. There may be a handful of exceptions. I rarely pay more than $25 to walk or $35 to ride.

[Dormie]

Absolutely. The economy and the outrageous cost for essentials (heating oil, gasoline, groceries, heath insurance) should make everyone evaluate their expenses relative to non-essentials (golf).

Unless you're rich, of course.

[Fourputt]

Fees are the same this year as last at my home courses... $35 to walk and $49 to ride weekends (Friday, Saturday and Sunday), and $5 less on Monday - Thursday. And so far, we haven't seen any drop off in income.

In the local elections next month we have a mill levy issue to vote on, and if it is declined, the fees will definitely go up. The courses make a profit, but the money is siphoned out of the profits to support other recreation district activities (kid's soccer, swimming, etc.), so the courses get shorted on wanted improvements because of that. The recently departed District Board Chairman spent a lot of money that the district didn't have, and now we are paying the price for it. Anyway our difficulties at the moment have little to do with the economy.

[PA PLAYA]

I've seen the trend for a few years now. Our club membership has lost 50 members since last summer. A private club relatively close to here -- Berkleigh (was on the LPGA venue as the Betsy King up until 2004) closed and was dissolved last fall because of a drop in membership. Another less prestigious private club (but nice) just a few miles from here closed and dissolved two years ago, and turned public.

Eventually, probably this summer when fuel spikes to $4/gal, we'll really start to see the impact at the higher-end public courses. There are several in the area here that are already seeing a significant drop in rounds for this time of season, two weeks into the year. I don't think the weather has been the issue.

All of this bodes well, however, for the local munis and less-expensive facilities. I would suspect that these cheaper courses will increase rounds and increase revenue. But overall, I think the nicer area golf courses are looking straight ahead to troubled times.

How it'll impact me.... I'll walk more, ride less. I'll bring my own bottled water and nutrition bars. I'll spend less money on pro shop purchases, and we'll see how that works out with my budget. But guess what.... I'm sure there will be others who do exactly what I am planning to do, which means that there will be less profit made from the additional spending at the course.

So I'm sure that one way or the other, I will get a reassessment of my dues for next season and they'll be higher. At that point, I'll have to weigh my options.

I paid $2.35 for ONE TOMATO at the grocery store last week. And it's only gonna get worse as fuel prices increase.

[essurfer]

Its becoming harder to have disposable income these days. As someone who is in the hospitality business, we are seeing a bit of a slow time. we book a lot of golf packages through our hotel and we have definately seem the dwindle this year.

[Darth Fader]

The cost of most things in america is still a lot cheaper than here,i am surprised that so many of you are feeling the effects of a slowing economy. If there is anyone thinking of golfing in Europe have a look at some of the prices aven an ordinary courese now caherges lat alone the top end ones.

We will spend around £125 p/w on groceiries/foodstuffs,fuel will count for anther £50 a night out can run to £70 double these amounts and you will see the $ equivilant

[xnavyct]

Going to be doing more par 3/driving range work this year, I might go play my regular course once a month or so - if that. Will save me both fees and gas.

My employer (financial related) is experiencing layoffs monthly (since the beginning of the year; matter of fact there are a couple hundred being laid off today and tomorrow) and even though I haven't been affected, I am being defensive with all things budget - especially since my wife is basically a stay-at-home Mom.

[indacup]

Originally Posted by Diane

That may work in less populated areas or locations with more courses such as FL, but that's not feasible in New England. There is no land to build new courses and when they do, they're commanding initiation fees of $100K - $1M. A bargain around here is an initial bond of $50K and some of these courses have 10 year waiting lists to play once you finally get approved by the membership committee. The munis aren't going to go even semi-private anytime soon.

Then in your situation, the dilemma isn't universal but geographically isolated.

But regardless, since you indicated you'd be willing to travel to various courses, theres no reason someone (like yourself) hint that they should implement a reciprocative plan with another course or two....all it does is generate income for participating courses.

There is no downside to it.

[GolfSavage]

We're about to enter our "off-season" May 1st - all the snowbirds have left and prices will drop significantly at most courses. Many private courses will even allow public access to those with a summer discount card. April is a "tweener" month, with some courses offering discounts, but the real price idferentials come May 1st. Some will drop again in June, again in July as the heat increases.

So I'll be playing for < $25/round at some decent courses, maybe pay $40 for a really nice layout, about the same as last year and the year before. Being self-eemployed I can play in the afternoons during the week, and then make up the work time at night. So a couple of times a week my days might be something like:
- Up at 9 am, work until 2pm
- Head to course, play "twilight" rate after 3, finish up around 6 or 7 depending on crowd.
- Back home, shower, eat dinner, work from 8 until 11 or 12, maybe as late as 2am.
- Rinse, repeat.

Then I'll probably play every Saturday or Sunday morning, at company expense, as my partner and I hold our weekly staff meeting!

I ain't getting rich, but I ain't complaining!

[RoyalWulff]

The local private club here has hit some bad times and last I heard they are opening up the course for the public. What is going to effect me is gas prices and having to drive to Denver and surrounding area to play some of the nicer courses. I can normally get a couple of friends to go but still it is starting to become prohibitative.

[Bang-Golf]

I have been getting a lot of email blast from local golf courses offering membership discounts and coupons for rounds of golf. At the local driving ranges, it is hit and miss. Most people are trying to save disposable income for rounds of golf instead of golf lessons and range time. Then there are some that just hit balls and never play golf.

Whenever I read about the Myrtle Beach area, they are closing down a different golf course to build condos that very few are purchasing. When I visited recently, there was a golf course that closed down because the new owner was going to build condos. Now I see a for-sale sign over the condo advertisement.

[stlcard_25]

Courses here have been losing business steadily for the last 10 years...not so much due to the economy, but because the area is mostly seniors. The private courses are taking a beating and have had to add incentives and adjust their prices to get people to join. I know of a nicer local one whose dues are down under $1000 for those 21-30, which is barely more than a playing pass runs at the public courses here. I personally enjoy the clearer courses, although I'm sure the course owners don't at all. I'll be doing my part by playing as many rounds as possible this year.

Oh, and this may be the cheapest area in the US to play golf...there's no such thing as a public course with a greens fee over $25 here. Most are $15-18.

[macmovieman]

My wife and I make very good money and I play an $11 course once a week. With work I play much nicer courses but I do not have any more fun....

[mr_bogey]

Pistol and I play at a military course for $700 a year plus $1 per nine when we play. That is a relative bargain, since we have 27 holes and the original 18 is a Robert Trent Jones layout. I used to play tournaments for my "away" golf, but actually for the last few years I have played less tournaments and very few away rounds - I just have trouble forking over $30-$50 to drive farther to play inferior courses.

[essurfer]

Originally Posted by Diane

That may work in less populated areas or locations with more courses such as FL, but that's not feasible in New England. There is no land to build new courses and when they do, they're commanding initiation fees of $100K - $1M. A bargain around here is an initial bond of $50K and some of these courses have 10 year waiting lists to play once you finally get approved by the membership committee. The munis aren't going to go even semi-private anytime soon.

These are unbelieveable numbers!!!!! Move here, The membership to my club is 1500 a year. I paid a one time fee to get in 5 years ago...like 2500. I have to spend like 150 per quarter on food or gear.

[JustPlainWill]

The rising costs of gas, food and medicine has certainly affected me. As far as golf is concerned, I have been playing the muni's a lot more in the past twelve months. At most of the muni's, you can walk 18 for around $18 or less.(Luckily, there are several muni's close to the house that are in pretty good shape. One, in particular, is in better shape than some of the nearby courses that have public access but privately owned.)

I've also been taking advantage of some of the weekday/twilight specials and using accumulated loyalty points. The other thing is that I've been taking food and drinks from home as opposed to buying snacks, etc. from the clubhouse. Seems like the cost of food is going up at the clubhouses too. Makes sense, I guess, given the fact that the price of groceries is higher at the supermarket. Noticed Friday, that the cost of a hot dog at one clubhouse was $3.00 and the cost of a 20 oz. Coke was $2.25.!