Mike Davis from USGA just said average 18-hole round cost $26

[tbowles411]

[quote name='joey2aces' timestamp='1430930983' post='11510469']
[quote name='tbowles411' timestamp='1430930716' post='11510437']
[quote name='joey2aces' timestamp='1430930290' post='11510401']
I think people are overlooking a key word.... average. I am sure if we did a study, certain states would be higer than others and certain states would be lower.
[/quote]
Our "average" is about $65 (and up) here in Northern VA. If you want cheaper, you head west into the country, then you'll pay $40. Sometimes...
[/quote]

yeah, even here in Syracuse you can pay $25 or $250 for a round. Also, there are a few par 3 courses that are around $18. Not the best but if you ever just want to walk with a Sunday bag some holes are quite challenging.

Oh, and if you belong to a country club and don't play 50+ rounds a year, your 'average' round is a lot more.
[/quote]
We even have one course here that's $40 for NINE!!!

[cphrey]

$40-$75 around Denver with a cart. There is not one single course that I would actually consider worth playing around here, weekday or weekend, that you can get on for $28...Wellshire, my local muni and where I play my mens league tourneys, is $37 to walk on a weekend. $54 with a cart. And that is a muni. Legacy Ridge for example, a nicer public course, is near $70 to ride on a weekend.

[RRFireblade]

26$ is quite doable in fact at certain times and locations, that could be the max.

No possible way, shape or form could the "average" be anywhere near that.

Hundreds or more of courses run up into triple figures which would mean three to four times as many courses would have to charge $1 to make $26 the average.

[firstbatch]

Mike Davis like many financial analyst , simply misusing statistical analysis. Average...mean.mode median....whatever. He did not disclose the data set.....for all we know he uses country club members with who play 100 plus rounds per year divided by their monthly dues stripped out of other fees, etc and then adds in the most dirt ball of par three tracks throughout the USA...yada ,yada yada......its spin to try and prove to someone that golf is affordable. I listened to the entire "golf industry leader new conference" and the message and spin was all formulated to deliver that public message and to consider the long time frame factors ..yada, yada yada......meaningless BS

[KYMAR]

Well i pay way more at the 15 courses I play near my town in my state so that guy can't be right about the national average!

commence irrational meltdown.

[sjpaster]

I live in one of the most expensive areas in the country, but many towns in the county have their own municipal course. My current town costs $28 on a weekend for residents, while my prior city costs $29. These places get packed on weekends, and 5-6 hour rounds are common if you are not first out.

Bottom line, the cost of golf isn't the reason the game is shrinking. It is the time commitment.

[JustinK23]

I walk just about every round unless I'm entertaining a client, and id LOVE to find a play for under $62 walking around here in Boston.

My local muni 9 hole mess of a course is 20 bucks!

[jholz]

I don't know if I missed it, but does the $26 figure include cart? If not, then you can play a lot of places in my area for that or less walking. I can only think of one place (goat-track) where you can get that price including a cart.

[golfcarte]

[quote name='cardoustie' timestamp='1430928768' post='11510207']
I read it as the OP saying that it costs the course $26 per round in WATER.

I imagine it does in some areas

I always say to my wife and kids ... how much water to we waste rinsing out these containers for the recycling bin. At some point that will stop as water become scarcer
[/quote]

no, the fee has nothing to do with water, it was the average green fee irrespective of water.

[golfcarte]

[quote name='jholz' timestamp='1430937798' post='11511217']
I don't know if I missed it, but does the $26 figure include cart? If not, then you can play a lot of places in my area for that or less walking. I can only think of one place (goat-track) where you can get that price including a cart.
[/quote]

it was omitted, but i assume that it's the price + cart he was referring to. many courses won't allow you to walk because of pace of play.

[jpking17]

In VA I purchase a VSGA card and we play for $30 a round w/ cart...there are some rules regarding times (can't get a Saturday or Sunday before 12 or 2 depending upon the course) but it works out really well for us.

[sheppy335]

Average that is walking only might be close but no cigar.

[firstbatch]

Again.....you simply cannot believe the spin or sound bites these talking heads put out there in these news conference formats. last summer this was the data....

[color=#333333]According to data from the National Golf Foundation in 2013, the average fee for nine holes of golf with a golf cart is $23, compared with $52 for 18 holes.[/color]

[Pert1862]

[quote name='firstbatch' timestamp='1430939853' post='11511487']
Again.....you simply cannot believe the spin or sound bites these talking heads put out there in these news conference formats. last summer this was the data....

[color=#333333]According to data from the National Golf Foundation in 2013, the average fee for nine holes of golf with a golf cart is $23, compared with $52 for 18 holes.[/color]
[/quote]

This seems much more like it!

[cardia10]

In East Tennessee, with a cart, on a weekday, I'd say that is about right. Our group almost balked at a very nice course last week because it is $32 to ride 18. We are kind of spoiled around here. Too many jobs and not enough people to take them, cheap golf, and no state income tax...

[MaitriMike]

I can only wish $26 dollars are the green fees in / around NYC courses (within 1 hour to 1 1/2 hour driving from city, Update NY, Long Island, NY, or NJ).

[Ranchobob]

[quote name='Mikey Town' timestamp='1430930204' post='11510383']If I could get out for $26, I would play A LOT more golf![/quote]

*AND* play in 4 hours or less.

[duffer987]

[quote name='joey2aces' timestamp='1430930290' post='11510401']
I think people are overlooking a key word.... average. I am sure if we did a study, certain states would be higer than others and certain states would be lower.
[/quote]

Unless a bunch of regions 'average' a tenner for 18 holes, there's no way $26 is any kind of average cost to play a full-sized 18 hole golf course in the US.
Add up all the rounds played just in year round states like California, Arizona, and Florida and a bunch of places would need to give it away to offset that.

Not sure how Davis is doing his disingenuous math, but if he wanted to call attention to the very real water issue, he could have left out greenfees.

[rsj1360]

[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1430938273' post='11511277']
[quote name='jholz' timestamp='1430937798' post='11511217']
I don't know if I missed it, but does the $26 figure include cart? If not, then you can play a lot of places in my area for that or less walking. I can only think of one place (goat-track) where you can get that price including a cart.
[/quote]

it was omitted, but i assume that it's the price + cart he was referring to. many courses won't allow you to walk because of pace of play.
[/quote]
They won't allow you to walk so they can get the extra money for the cart fee.

[Soloman1]

The average IQ is supposed to be around 100, but it sure doesn't seem like it...

[kiteman]

Not sure what the ideology of the $26 + water being the threat means, is that suggesting we lose $26 of balls per 18 holes, or that green fee + lost balls in the water = $26? Or something completely different? Anyway...

If we are talking green fee only, in North Texas I play $26 exactly for a 8/10 (in terms of good shape) course at SUPER TWILIGHT DURING THE WEEK. On the weekends in the A.M., it's about $75 to play there. If you want to play $26 for when many people have the opportunity to play (i.e. early morning weekends), you'd have to play a really, really crappy course here.

If the suggestion is you lose $26 of balls due to water in 18 holes, you need to stop buying brand new ProV's.

[golfnhack]

O for 2 Mike, At least in FL, Average is about $50 in peak season, and there is PLENTY of water here.

[mosesgolf]

Not in SoCalif!!!!

[Afraid2goLow]

Is he using $20 cart fees at CCs to get to his number and not taking into account dues members pays? Because i guess it costs me $18 to play if i ride since i guess he can argue my dues shouldnt be applied to my golf rounds.

[Pert1862]

If nothing else this thread has shown me some great places to go for some cheap golf. Bravo!!

[ZBigStick]

[quote name='firstbatch' timestamp='1430939853' post='11511487']Again.....you simply cannot believe the spin or sound bites these talking heads put out there in these news conference formats. last summer this was the data....

[color=#333333]According to data from the National Golf Foundation in 2013, the average fee for nine holes of golf with a golf cart is $23, compared with $52 for 18 holes.[/color][/quote]

That number sounds more likely!

In Orlando, in Season avg. $75
Summer avg. $25. So overall $50. That is with cart because you can only walk about 5% of the courses here.

To average $26 it would have to be weekday, twilight.

[ChristopherMcDonald]

Double that price for here in Southern California (for a crappy muni), if not more for anywhere decent. If I want to play anywhere nice, I expect to pay at least $100, if not far more than that.

[PhocusOne]

Kind of a stupid number to present, it doesn't represent reality, unless the word "minimum" was added in front of "average".

There is a small percentage of golfers that just pay green fees only, let alone many course make you pay the cart fees. The other things need to be accounted for to really represent golfing in reality at the course:

1. Greens Fee
2. Cart Fee
3. Bucket o balls
4. Cart lady purchases
5. Forgot gloves/balls/tees and need to purchase

[crazy8golfer]

[quote name='golfcarte' timestamp='1430926977' post='11509975']
Mike Davis from the USGA was just talking in a presser for the Players, and said, that greens fees aren't the biggest threat to golf, its water. He went on to say the average 18-hole round cost $26.

Thoughts?
[/quote]My thoughts are he has been under a rock somewhere. He has not been to the Atlanta area.

[swoll cracker]

I don't trust a word that comes from the USGA. They have become an elitist organization with little interest in growing the game of golf. I think the PGA of America and Augusta National have a greater understaning of where golf currently stands and how to take steps to grow.