Cost of Golf: Can It Be Fixed?

Just back from the PGA Merchandise Show in Orlando where, as usual, a lot of smart people spent a lot of important time trying to figure out how to make golf more appealing and a more central part of our leisure time activities.

On the flight back from Orlando, I was thumbing through a major national golf publication and saw an article which instantly grabbed my attention and answered the question why golf has to battle so hard to remain relevant.

The magazine featured America’s top 50 courses for women, with greens fees.

The breakdown of fees is revealing. More than half, 27 public and resort facilities, charged $150 or more to play. Six charged $250 or more for a round of golf, 10 charged between $200 and $249. At 11 properties, it cost between $100 and $150. At 13 of the courses selected as the best for women, the fee was under $100.

That’s a lot of money to pay to play a 5,300-yard golf course.

Tags: fees, public golf, resort, women