The Future of Golf

[hardcaliber]

On 3/23/2022 at 10:22 AM, jholz said:

If one sticks to the the municipal golf course or private club model, I don't think golf is hurting at all. Core golfers are going to show up. 

 

The simulator, 6-hole, gimmick crap is all about people who don't play golf normally, and wouldn't actually play golf if they could. Ultimately, those folks don't want to play golf. They want to do something resembling golf that is easier, more accessible, and offers easy access to food and drinks. 

 

Simply put, the folks who are going to be attracted to sim golf are people who don't actually like golf. They like the idea of golf. 

 

Real golf is hard. It takes time and commitment. You have to accept the fact that you kind of suck at it. If done properly, golf equates to 4+ hours of walking while carrying a heavy bag. Most people don't want to do that. Many people will try it and find out it isn't for them. 

 

This whole "growing the game" thing is absolute nonsense. Most people don't want to really play golf. Why do we try to keep forcing them to do so? 

 

There is nothing I'd rather do than play golf.   I even post on dumb golf forums when I'm supposed to be working.  Unfortunately, I play about 5 rounds a year due to time commitments such as work, family, etc.  Maybe I'm in the minority, but 6 quality holes of "real" golf with normal holes that could be played in 90-120 minutes sounds perfect.

[Wormkiller]

As the world continues to over populate and disintegrate due to climate change combined with scarcity of resources and scarcity of land as urbanization takes over, so will the accessibility for people to play golf on actual courses.

 

In many countries it is already too inaccessible and expensive. One of the local courses I play at (Maylands public golf course) is a pretty course next to the river. Quite literally it gets packed with groups of golfers from the likes of Korea and Japan who come to play because, unbelievably, it is cheaper for them to fly here for a round than play in their own country.

 

If it isn't already, I think most people will get their golf fix on driving ranges. Not grass ranges either - multi-story concrete monstrosities. In many Asian countries this is fast becoming the only realistic and reasonable way to access the game. There may be golfers out there who have never stepped foot on an actual course and exclusively hit on ranges.

 

Considering this, personally I believe the future of golf will tend away from playing on actual courses for the majority of the world's golfing population, and move towards playing virtual golf on ranges and simulators. And as technology improves this will become more and more common place. Quality simulators may get cheaper and cheaper. Perhaps even a phone app. Perhaps in virtual reality. Perhaps in the meta-universe. Sure, the game might be strong in America and Australia and the UK, but I'm talking in terms of sheer numbers now, - across the world millions of non-affluent people aren't able to access actual courses regularly, especially in densely packed Asian countries. Already here in sleepy, spacious Western Australia with its ridiculously good weather its getting impossible to get a tee time on public courses on the weekend. Over east its floods wiping out tee times for the foreseeable future. Fires have also burnt down many regional courses here.

Edited March 28, 2022 by Wormkiller

[bobfoster]

1 hour ago, Wormkiller said:

As the world continues to over populate and disintegrate due to climate change combined with scarcity of resources and scarcity of land as urbanization takes over, so will the accessibility for people to play golf on actual courses.

 

In many countries it is already too inaccessible and expensive. One of the local courses I play at (Maylands public golf course) is a pretty course next to the river. Quite literally it gets packed with groups of golfers from the likes of Korea and Japan who come to play because, unbelievably, it is cheaper for them to fly here for a round than play in their own country.

 

If it isn't already, I think most people will get their golf fix on driving ranges. Not grass ranges either - multi-story concrete monstrosities. In many Asian countries this is fast becoming the only realistic and reasonable way to access the game. There may be golfers out there who have never stepped foot on an actual course and exclusively hit on ranges.

 

Considering this, personally I believe the future of golf will tend away from playing on actual courses for the majority of the world's golfing population, and move towards playing virtual golf on ranges and simulators. And as technology improves this will become more and more common place. Quality simulators may get cheaper and cheaper. Perhaps even a phone app. Perhaps in virtual reality. Perhaps in the meta-universe. Sure, the game might be strong in America and Australia and the UK, but I'm talking in terms of sheer numbers now, - across the world millions of non-affluent people aren't able to access actual courses regularly, especially in densely packed Asian countries. Already here in sleepy, spacious Western Australia with its ridiculously good weather its getting impossible to get a tee time on public courses on the weekend. Over east its floods wiping out tee times for the foreseeable future. Fires have also burnt down many regional courses here.

Sorry, but this is one of the weirdest, most non-sensical posts I've read on WRX in the past five years. And that is really saying something ... 😅

Edited March 28, 2022 by bobfoster

[Wormkiller]

2 hours ago, bobfoster said:

Sorry, but this is one of the weirdest, most non-sensical posts I've read on WRX in the past five years. And that is really saying something ... 😅

Great reply mate.

 

Whats non-nonsensical about it? Come on, be specific. Lets have a discussion. you can do better than that cob.

Edited March 28, 2022 by Wormkiller

[bobfoster]

3 minutes ago, Wormkiller said:

Great reply mate.

 

Whats non-nonsensical about it? Come on, be specific. Lets see what level of naivety you have.

Um, the level capable of actually spelling "naivete" correctly?

[Wormkiller]

4 minutes ago, bobfoster said:

Um, the level capable of actually spelling "naivete" correctly?

Haha oh wow, my suspicions confirmed in one sentence. 😅 🤣

Edited March 28, 2022 by Wormkiller

[Soloman1]

I used to play a Jack Nicklaus course in Japan that was equivalent to about $100 (including lunch) on weekdays. No one flies to the US to play because it’s cheaper. That’s nonsense, and the rest went downhill from there.

[jholz]

12 hours ago, hardcaliber said:

 

There is nothing I'd rather do than play golf.   I even post on dumb golf forums when I'm supposed to be working.  Unfortunately, I play about 5 rounds a year due to time commitments such as work, family, etc.  Maybe I'm in the minority, but 6 quality holes of "real" golf with normal holes that could be played in 90-120 minutes sounds perfect.

 

A reasonable point mon frer. Playing 6 holes of golf (or short or executive course) is certainly a reasonable option. From time to time, my diatribes go just a bit too far. I do appreciate you checking me on it. 

[hardcaliber]

4 hours ago, jholz said:

 

A reasonable point mon frer. Playing 6 holes of golf (or short or executive course) is certainly a reasonable option. From time to time, my diatribes go just a bit too far. I do appreciate you checking me on it. 

 

All good, didn't really mean to clap back at you.  Just wanted to give another view point and keep the conversation going.

 

Sending out vibes for any developers out there.  High quality executive course that can be played quickly.  Regular length holes, no gimmicky stuff.

[jholz]

Just now, hardcaliber said:

 

All good, didn't really mean to clap back at you.  Just wanted to give another view point and keep the conversation going.

 

Sending out vibes for any developers out there.  High quality executive course that can be played quickly.  Regular length holes, no gimmicky stuff.

 

No hard feelings at all. You make a good point, and I'm always happy to acknowledge a good point. 👊

[bobfoster]

20 hours ago, Wormkiller said:

Haha oh wow, my suspicions confirmed in one sentence. 😅 🤣

Mine too. Apparently the future of golf is deeply dependent upon ... global warming? The fact that golf is now so popular that it is hard to get a tee time means that ... people are going to start playing virtually in the twisted Zuckerberg  "metaverse"? All of this asserted by someone that barely has grammar or spelling? 

 

Go play your virtual golf. Most of us here think the future of golf will be on actual golf courses. Most of which are doing quite well right now.

[mkuether]

Golf feels very expensive to me these days. To be clear, it has always been an expensive hobby, but I feel that the costs have grown a lot more over the past ten years than simply time/inflation would suggest. As an example, I saw that the top tee times at TPC Sawgrass are now $840, up $120 vs. the same time last year. That sort of money for golf is ridiculous to me (famous course or not). I live in the Dallas area and it seems to me that rates for most public courses that I play have also increased significantly. I haven't really seen any improvement in conditions or amenities either (in fact, they've declined in some cases even as prices have risen).

 

In short, I don't think the current rate of cost increases for golf is sustainable. While golf appears to be popular right now even at these rates, I don't think it will last and it will eventually a lot of marginal golfers will leave the game. For sure, hardcore golfers (e.g. WRXers) will continue to pay, but I think overall golf participation will decline somewhat and there will have to be some reduction (or at least flattening) of golf rates.

 

Of course, golf as a whole will be fine and I think that there will be plenty of participation. I just think (and hope!) that we will see costs level out a bit.

[Warrior42111]

I'd say golf like the markets are cyclical. Now there are popularity booms and such, but golf is for many an 'extra' when the markets go up more people have money and play, when they correct less people play.

 

As for shifts in how golf is played i.e simulators, music, more 9 hole courses etc. Only time will tell, some things change and go away; remember the ridiculously baggy pants and shirts in the 90s early 2000s golfers. Some things stay, engineers like be self use to wear suits to work all day, now at many places it's jeans and a polo. We'll see what sticks the next 5-10 years. 

[Singletrack1]

I believe SIM/virtual golf may have a permanent place going forward for people who have a winter season and the courses are closed. It's something to do golf wise when there's a foot of snow on the ground and gets you out of the house.

[-GoldenHawk-]

Sorry I haven't ready every post up until now, but with the boom of cryptocurrency and virtual reality, I'm wondering if golf might have really strong virtual participation in the future, especially in off months. It would take a lot to create something that's worthy of the time spent golfing in the "meta", but it's something that has crossed my mind.

[aenemated]

On 3/23/2022 at 8:50 AM, Feelingofgreatness said:

I agree. It's not a replacement, it is something different but related. I think the experience is getting better and better. It's less of a time commitment, cost commitment and the younger generation love virtual things. I imagine the tech is only going to get more immersive in time. 

 

That's the sticking point IMHO. 

 

Sim golf gets rid of a lot of the - shall we say - inconveniences of the actual game. Or at least eases the learning curve for complete beginners. There's also the sort of hesitation a lot of beginners or just terrible players have about being around more skilled players on an actual course or range that probably isn't there on a sim.

 

To be clear; I personally have very little interest in them beyond MAAAAAYBE during winter months when it's too dark during the week to get out after work - and that's only if it's within a very short drive. You couldn't pay me to even deal with the bro-hell that is surely Top Golf and I recently realized I've effectively reached the private club snobbery of not even wanting to play public courses anymore. (Seriously - I thought about doing Wolf Creek last weekend till I saw in recent reviews that rounds were 5+ hours now and I was like "Aw hell no"). So yeah, golf will always be in the real world and ideally around as few people as possible. 

 

But I can totally see it being something that can bring more n00bs in. 

[ac6]

On 3/27/2022 at 6:34 PM, hardcaliber said:

 

There is nothing I'd rather do than play golf.   I even post on dumb golf forums when I'm supposed to be working.  Unfortunately, I play about 5 rounds a year due to time commitments such as work, family, etc.  Maybe I'm in the minority, but 6 quality holes of "real" golf with normal holes that could be played in 90-120 minutes sounds perfect.

 

I'm in the same boat. Part of the reason people are hesitant to play "real golf" is because the time commitment is at best 2 hours for 9 and at worst 6+ hours to play 18. A lot of people just don't have the ability to commit that much time on a regular basis and as a result substitute some other outdoor activity that lets them be more flexible. Like you I'd be thrilled to be able to play a few holes--I'd even be happy if there were something like a 6-hole par-3 course with a stroke limit where I knew I would be able to get in and out in about an hour. Hell, if it were close by I'd probably play that course before work every day. 

[Strategery]

This is coming:

 

- More flexibility for attire (incl PGA). Young people don't care for tradition, and they are the future.

 

- Modern courses are too expensive to build/maintain, and golf takes too long to play. Water is a major issue! This will be addressed with a multi-pronged effort: Less than 18 holes, reduced flight balls and equipment. I expect this version of golf to have a different name. (e.g. picklegolf).

 

- The distance debate. It keeps getting kicked down the road. This will be addressed.

 

- Post-pandemic golf decline. Inevitable. There are cycles to this game.

 

- We went through a period where golf fees and equipment were pricey but still do-able. It is bordering on outrageous now. This is not sustainable.

[Strategery]

On 3/27/2022 at 6:49 PM, Wormkiller said:

As the world continues to over populate and disintegrate due to climate change combined with scarcity of resources and scarcity of land as urbanization takes over, so will the accessibility for people to play golf on actual courses.

 

In many countries it is already too inaccessible and expensive. One of the local courses I play at (Maylands public golf course) is a pretty course next to the river. Quite literally it gets packed with groups of golfers from the likes of Korea and Japan who come to play because, unbelievably, it is cheaper for them to fly here for a round than play in their own country.

 

If it isn't already, I think most people will get their golf fix on driving ranges. Not grass ranges either - multi-story concrete monstrosities. In many Asian countries this is fast becoming the only realistic and reasonable way to access the game. There may be golfers out there who have never stepped foot on an actual course and exclusively hit on ranges.

 

Considering this, personally I believe the future of golf will tend away from playing on actual courses for the majority of the world's golfing population, and move towards playing virtual golf on ranges and simulators. And as technology improves this will become more and more common place. Quality simulators may get cheaper and cheaper. Perhaps even a phone app. Perhaps in virtual reality. Perhaps in the meta-universe. Sure, the game might be strong in America and Australia and the UK, but I'm talking in terms of sheer numbers now, - across the world millions of non-affluent people aren't able to access actual courses regularly, especially in densely packed Asian countries. Already here in sleepy, spacious Western Australia with its ridiculously good weather its getting impossible to get a tee time on public courses on the weekend. Over east its floods wiping out tee times for the foreseeable future. Fires have also burnt down many regional courses here.

[Soloman1]

The golf business has always been tied to discretionary income.

 

Discretionary income is going down for many now. Many people were able to save money at an usually high rate during the past two years. They continued to earn and save by not paying mortgages and rent, with no adverse outcome.

 

That’s going to come to an end.

 

The predominate demographic has always been the over 50 years-old crowd. They continue to play over 50% of all rounds and contribute 65% of all golf spending.

 

The future of golf is the history of golf. A reset will most likely happen, with courses and manufacturers targeting senior golfers again and courses having to go back to competing for the discretionary income of people.

 

Virtual golf is like nuclear fusion power. We hear the hype about it all the time, but it’s always something that is sometime in the unknown future.

 

Anyway, that’s what I see.

[Wormkiller]

On 3/29/2022 at 10:07 AM, bobfoster said:

Mine too. Apparently the future of golf is deeply dependent upon ... global warming? The fact that golf is now so popular that it is hard to get a tee time means that ... people are going to start playing virtually in the twisted Zuckerberg  "metaverse"? All of this asserted by someone that barely has grammar or spelling? 

 

Go play your virtual golf. Most of us here think the future of golf will be on actual golf courses. Most of which are doing quite well right now.

"Barely has grammar or spelling" - that doesn't make sense.  One doesn't assume ownership of literacy terms. However, please, point out my mistakes. We can improve together.

 

And you're a climate change denier, huh? Outside the United States there are a whole host of other countries, which might surprise you (hence you not being able to pick up my English spelling). And I can tell you that climate change is definitely impacting accessibility to courses in Australia. Just do a quick google search of the flood situation in QLD and NSW. Regional Western Australia we've had several courses destroyed in bush fires where there has never been bush fires. Ever. Bridgetown for example. One of the coolest places in the state.

 

Cheap suit looks good on you champ. 

Edited March 31, 2022 by Wormkiller

[akronswitness]

On 3/29/2022 at 10:20 AM, mkuether said:

Golf feels very expensive to me these days. To be clear, it has always been an expensive hobby, but I feel that the costs have grown a lot more over the past ten years than simply time/inflation would suggest. As an example, I saw that the top tee times at TPC Sawgrass are now $840, up $120 vs. the same time last year. That sort of money for golf is ridiculous to me (famous course or not). I live in the Dallas area and it seems to me that rates for most public courses that I play have also increased significantly. I haven't really seen any improvement in conditions or amenities either (in fact, they've declined in some cases even as prices have risen).

 

In short, I don't think the current rate of cost increases for golf is sustainable. While golf appears to be popular right now even at these rates, I don't think it will last and it will eventually a lot of marginal golfers will leave the game. For sure, hardcore golfers (e.g. WRXers) will continue to pay, but I think overall golf participation will decline somewhat and there will have to be some reduction (or at least flattening) of golf rates.

 

Of course, golf as a whole will be fine and I think that there will be plenty of participation. I just think (and hope!) that we will see costs level out a bit.

 

To your point about costs increasing--yes. I noticed too. The best course in my area (IMO) went from being around $45-62 for a round and now are $84 per round. In 1 years time. I wanted to ask the guy in the pro shop last year what did they do to the course to justify now being the most expensive public course in Columbus, OH outside of adding a fire pit area next to their outdoor patio.

 

I understand golf is pay to play, but at some point between the cost of bags, balls, clubs, range sessions, lessons and green fees--it feels like the entire industry is working against the player. Not with the player. 

 

In a time where golf should be taking advantage of its newfound attention from Covid and making it easier to get involved, they seem to be making it more difficult. A $600 driver TaylorMade? Reeeeallly?

 

 

 

 

Edited March 31, 2022 by akronswitness

[klebs01]

6 hours ago, akronswitness said:

 

To your point about costs increasing--yes. I noticed too. The best course in my area (IMO) went from being around $45-62 for a round and now are $84 per round. In 1 years time. I wanted to ask the guy in the pro shop last year what did they do to the course to justify now being the most expensive public course in Columbus, OH outside of adding a fire pit area next to their outdoor patio.

 

I understand golf is pay to play, but at some point between the cost of bags, balls, clubs, range sessions, lessons and green fees--it feels like the entire industry is working against the player. Not with the player. 

 

In a time where golf should be taking advantage of its newfound attention from Covid and making it easier to get involved, they seem to be making it more difficult. A $600 driver TaylorMade? Reeeeallly?

 

 

 

 

Kind of crazy that drivers cost the same in nominal dollars as they did 25-30 years ago. Golf is much cheaper inflation adjusted than is was back then. 

Edited March 31, 2022 by klebs01

[djmohab2]

On 3/27/2022 at 6:49 PM, Wormkiller said:

As the world continues to over populate and disintegrate due to climate change combined with scarcity of resources and scarcity of land as urbanization takes over, so will the accessibility for people to play golf on actual courses.

 

In many countries it is already too inaccessible and expensive. One of the local courses I play at (Maylands public golf course) is a pretty course next to the river. Quite literally it gets packed with groups of golfers from the likes of Korea and Japan who come to play because, unbelievably, it is cheaper for them to fly here for a round than play in their own country.

 

If it isn't already, I think most people will get their golf fix on driving ranges. Not grass ranges either - multi-story concrete monstrosities. In many Asian countries this is fast becoming the only realistic and reasonable way to access the game. There may be golfers out there who have never stepped foot on an actual course and exclusively hit on ranges.

 

Considering this, personally I believe the future of golf will tend away from playing on actual courses for the majority of the world's golfing population, and move towards playing virtual golf on ranges and simulators. And as technology improves this will become more and more common place. Quality simulators may get cheaper and cheaper. Perhaps even a phone app. Perhaps in virtual reality. Perhaps in the meta-universe. Sure, the game might be strong in America and Australia and the UK, but I'm talking in terms of sheer numbers now, - across the world millions of non-affluent people aren't able to access actual courses regularly, especially in densely packed Asian countries. Already here in sleepy, spacious Western Australia with its ridiculously good weather its getting impossible to get a tee time on public courses on the weekend. Over east its floods wiping out tee times for the foreseeable future. Fires have also burnt down many regional courses here.

I'll stick up for you here, mate. Everyone else has dumped on you, but I see where you're coming from. In many countries, especially Asian, golf is considered an extreme luxury. I was reading a hole-in-one thread, where holes-in-one in Japan require gifts going into the $25k+ range. That's nowhere near the same financial culture around golf that you find in the United States. Auto racing is my other hobby, and as karts and everything get more and more expensive, you're seeing a lot of people getting into sim rig building and going iRacing instead. I know that's what I did. It was way easier to spend $2k on building a rig than it was to get a kart/entry-level series car and pay for parts, find help to wrench on it, etc. I mean, I've seen futsal fields on the rooftops of downtown Tokyo skyscrapers. It's actually not too much of a stretch to see Wormkiller's point here.

[ChipNRun]

On 2/8/2022 at 3:24 PM, Pepperturbo said:

I get tired of national stats being misused to manipulate the uneducated golfing population.  Golf and whether it is doing well or not is regionally driven.  Golf economy expands and contracts.

 

If you're in an area that is economically weakened, public golf courses, restaurants, even some private clubs, and everything else that feeds off disposable income will be challenged in that region.

 

Economic trends back in the 1990s influenced course availability and overbuilding in the golf industry. The 1990s saw the longest sustained US economic growth in history, from roughly 1992 to 2000. The Dot.com bust and a slight recession in 2000 slowed things down, followed by the Great Recession starting in 2007.

 

The 1990s featured a big increase in the number of residential golf course developments, including pricy semi-private courses where you could be a member, or as an outside golfer you could be "an upscale member for a day." The residential developers, however, were often from outside the golf industry. As Arnold Palmer remarked in the late 1990s, golf was being ruined by outsiders looking to make a quick buck.

 

The residential golf boom led to overbuilding. It turns out not everyone wanted an expensive home along the fairway. Developers with excess lots started selling them to non-golfers who would not contribute to the upkeep of the fabulous links layout. So, the "everyone is a golfer" business model had major flaws.

 

I live in the St. Louis area. As one veteran pro told me, circa 1997 the course he worked at was packed all the time. He ran credit cards $75 x 4 for foursomes all day long. That crashed hard circa 2008. Round count fell to half - middle managers were reluctant to not be "in the office" on Wednesdays - and greens fees down to $35 during the week.

 

Half-full starter sheets coupled with falling greens fees meant hard time$ for the courses and clubs. Once the Great Recession hit (subprime mortgage crisis as detonating fuse), those excess courses began to shut down.

 

One of the surviving semi-privates in out area has had the course go through several owners. And, half the building lots platted circa 1995 remain vacant. As a result, you have a house... three empty lots.... a house... four empty lots. It's great for the neighborhood kids - dozens of makeshift soccer fields - but it's got to be rough for those who still own the fallow building lots.

 

Add to this the maturing life cycle of various golf course subsystems. Things like irrigation systems, golf tee boxes and bunkers wear out after so many years. They have to be refurbished periodically. It the irrigation system was rated for 15 years, and it's falling apart when revenues are down, something has to give.

 

And - surprise! - some developers cut corners when building the course, and outfitting and installing the systems. And - surprise - if you have a course built on the cheap that's falling apart and losing money... do you continue the misery or exit the industry?

 

On 3/31/2022 at 10:43 AM, akronswitness said:

(aw's response to @mkuether)

To your point about costs increasing--yes. I noticed too. The best course in my area (IMO) went from being around $45-62 for a round and now are $84 per round. In 1 years time. I wanted to ask the guy in the pro shop last year what did they do to the course to justify now being the most expensive public course in Columbus, OH outside of adding a fire pit area next to their outdoor patio.

 

Uhh... because they can? If the course has lots of players, possibly the high usage is because it has spent extra $$ on groundskeeping, and possibly refitting subsystems. If players will pay the higher price, so be it.

 

Are the less expensive courses as nice as this "most expensive" tract? Can players who can't afford $84 a round find another place to play?

 

Note: the fire pit may increase the attractiveness of the facility for non-golf social activities. If non-golfers come there, possibly some will try golf? (Google "Grow the game")

 

Edited April 1, 2022 by ChipNRun
Reorder sentences for clarity.

[akronswitness]

38 minutes ago, ChipNRun said:

 

 

 

 

Uhh... because they can? If the course has lots of players, possibly the high usage is because it has spent extra $$ on groundskeeping, and possibly refitting subsystems. If players will pay the higher price, so be it.

 

Are the less expensive courses as nice as this "most expensive" tract? Can players who can't afford $84 a round find another place to play?

 

Note: the fire pit may increase the attractiveness of the facility for non-golf social activities. If non-golfers come there, possibly some will try golf? (See: Grow the game?)

 

I know that they can, I just wish they would stop and people would quit just bending over and accepting it. It feels more like a money grab than it does because they actually needed to. 

 

The reason the courses can name their price and manufactures can sell a $25 driver for $600 is because the golf community has never put their foot down and said no. Nobody asks questions, nobody raises a concern, they just keep feeding them money. So yeah, it will never stop. The majority of golfers are like enablers to a industry that is looking to take advantage of you and your wallet every chance they get--knowing that your going to say 'yes please' and pay whatever they say.

 

If people had the same cautiousness and vitriol with the golf industry as they do with car dealerships we might be in a better spot financially as a community of paying customers

 

Too many people on WRX Ive noticed think for some reason that the golf industry and courses are their friends. They are not. If they dont provide a experience and service worthy of your money, then your foot should be on their neck just like you do at restaurants/dealerships or any other service based industry. You would have no problem telling a waiter that the $70 steak you ordered was terrible or that the price on your vehicle trade-in was a joke, why is there so much caution telling your local course their prices are BS?

Edited April 1, 2022 by akronswitness

[david.c.w]

12 minutes ago, akronswitness said:

 

I know that they can, I just wish they would stop and people would quit just bending over and accepting it. It feels more like a money grab than it does because they actually needed to. 

 

The reason the courses can name their price and manufactures can sell a $25 driver for $600 is because the golf community has never put their foot down and said no. Nobody asks questions, nobody raises a concern, they just keep feeding them money. So yeah, it will never stop. The majority of golfers are like enablers to a industry that is looking to take advantage of you and your wallet every chance they get--knowing that your going to say 'yes please' and pay whatever they say.

 

If people had the same cautiousness with the golf industry as they do with car dealerships we might be in a better spot financially as a community of paying customers

 

This is incorrect.  My golf group is a bunch of well off small business owners.  Over half of them have drivers with white heads.  The MAJORITY of golfers are not dropping $600 every 6 months.  

 

You seem to be forgetting that golf is 100% about discretionary spending.  Golf is not a utility or a commodity.  The overall market demand will dictate the pricing.  This is Econ 101.

 

Also, please refer to the currently inflation numbers.  Golf is not immune from inflation.

[akronswitness]

11 minutes ago, david.c.w said:

 

This is incorrect.  My golf group is a bunch of well off small business owners.  Over half of them have drivers with white heads.  The MAJORITY of golfers are not dropping $600 every 6 months.  

 

You seem to be forgetting that golf is 100% about discretionary spending.  Golf is not a utility or a commodity.  The overall market demand will dictate the pricing.  This is Econ 101.

 

Also, please refer to the currently inflation numbers.  Golf is not immune from inflation.

 

Moreso referring to costs at courses in general, but your right you can always go 'down' and get a used driver. However, inflation doesnt make up for the fact that golf manufacturers have the highest profit margin on sales of any other industry out there. Inflation falls on deaf ears when your pricing your products at a 2300% increase.

Edited April 1, 2022 by akronswitness

[djmohab2]

10 minutes ago, david.c.w said:

 

This is incorrect.  My golf group is a bunch of well off small business owners.  Over half of them have drivers with white heads.  The MAJORITY of golfers are not dropping $600 every 6 months.  

 

You seem to be forgetting that golf is 100% about discretionary spending.  Golf is not a utility or a commodity.  The overall market demand will dictate the pricing.  This is Econ 101.

 

Also, please refer to the currently inflation numbers.  Golf is not immune from inflation.

Give me a break. When I was in high school, a 975D/J was $149.99. Now drivers are going for $600.00. You're telling me inflation was 400%?

[klebs01]

1 hour ago, djmohab2 said:

Give me a break. When I was in high school, a 975D/J was $149.99. Now drivers are going for $600.00. You're telling me inflation was 400%?

That is complete nonsense. The 975D was over $400 or so when it came out. I paid over $300 for mine. The 975j was $500. The callaway at the time. Maybe the biggest big Bertha was $600. 

Edited April 1, 2022 by klebs01