There is no doubt that golf is big business but is it in danger of making the age old elitist mistakes of the past which alienate the masses?
Globally it’s estimated that the golf market is worth in excess of $90bn (£70.5bn), a figure that is expected to rise to $104bn (£80.5bn) by 2028, exhibiting a healthy CAGR (Compound Annual Growth Rate) of 3.4 per cent.
Why? Well the golf market, once perceived as a niche sport for the elite, is experiencing a remarkable surge through an expansion of players with a particular rise within lower income households. Overall the total player numbers in the UK have risen consistently since the pandemic and are now at an all time high, with over 1m regularly participating golfers on a monthly basis according to data, and a recent PGA report found that 30 per cent of adults in the UK participated in some form of golf activity in the last 12 months. The interest is growing but will it last?
Big money sport?
Of course the cost of golf is relatively prohibitive with a requirement for equipment, including golf clubs, balls, bag, and apparel. Then with the cost of any coaching or range practice, players can be substantially invested before they even get to the course. And it is the course where the growing cost challenge lies.
Around 35 per cent of the market spend within golf is made up by courses and facilities, which includes memberships and revenue generated from facilities (pro shop, restaurants etc) but the largest part? Green fees.
Green fees have always been good business but as of 2024, they are the biggest business of all. In fact the costs are increasing at top courses at breakneck speed. UKGolfGuys annual round up of the top 100 UK course green fees found that the average price was £220 for a single player – up 9.6 per cent on 2023, with the average green fee at the top 25 courses hitting £321. Obviously these are the best of the best, but courses at all levels are taking the top 100’s lead and increasing their own fees. Higher fees means more investment in the course and more investment in the course means higher fees…and so the upward spiral continues.
But where does that leave the average and lower income earner and their ability to play golf in an accessible way on courses that aren’t like farmer’s fields? The danger as we see it at The Devil’s Back, is that unless there are changes in the system the sport that has fought so hard to become ‘for all’ may end up once more as a niche sport for the elite.
Accessible golf
This is a point of view that has been shared by some forward thinking courses across the UK, who are starting to offer means tested memberships for golfers. These memberships allow lower earners to get the same access to courses at reduced rates, albeit with some restrictions on tee times. Will this catch on and be adopted by other clubs? Time will tell.
There are companies like PlayMoreGolf who are creating memberships where credits or points are accumulated and can be redeemed at certain venues, but there are limitations on that too. Particularly as this doesn’t feed the desire that the majority of golfers at all levels and financial status have: to play some of the best courses in the UK and beyond. The newly created Devil’s Back Golf Club charges a £10 monthly fee, where members are placed into draws to to be in with the chance of playing some of the world’s best courses such as Trump Turnberry. The owners, amateur golfers seeking to democratise the game, will also be putting 10 per of profits back into the game through cause and charity-led initiatives submitted by clubs around the country.
There is no doubt that the numbers of players make the future of golf participation look positive; but clubs, brands and businesses in the space need to balance the gold rush of cashing in on people’s hard earned money and provide suitable affordable ways for everyone to keep enjoying the game they love.