By Alan Watson, President, GOLF+ Dothan and Panama City Beach
I think it is a fair question, right? Is golf too expensive? Seriously. Golf used to be thought of as an elitist game that was only accessible to mostly wealthy people who belonged to country clubs and the like. Then Tiger Woods came along and changed the face of golf, and masses of new golfers came to try this sport that was previously not really geared toward them. Then COVID happened, and another 2.5 million golfers came to the game. We saw more young people, blue collar workers, and other groups previously not as engaged with the game suddenly come to love the sport. A way to get outdoors with their friends to blow off some steam was now appropriate for more than just the country club set.
Then the issue was raised about cost. These new golfers didn’t know or care what the market was doing with the price of equipment and rounds of golf prior, but now that they were participating, they were keenly aware that the game wasn’t geared, at least financially, to everyone. The spike in play caused courses to get busier, and thus prices rose. That’s just simple supply and demand economics. The cost of new equipment had already been steadily rising for years, but the pandemic caused material shortages and factory worker shortages which led to much longer lead times to get new gear, which then fed into an explosion in sales of pre-owned clubs. Facebook marketplace, Craigslist, Play-it-again Sports stores, and the like were suddenly fueled by masses needing golf gear but not wanting to pay new prices in most retail stores. Golfers found ways to sell off their previous models to fund new purchases, and the new golfers were more than willing to gobble up the flood of clubs that were now readily available. Golf shops couldn’t keep used trade-in clubs on the shelf, and new complete package sets that came with bag, clubs, and covers were now a super hot item.
So, where do we go from here? Used equipment is still pretty hot in the market. And many golfers find it more convenient to just list their no longer wanted or needed clubs on internet sites rather than take them to the local store. A new cycle had emerged whereby golfers, and other sports enthusiasts, are selling and buying their next purchase on Facebook forums rather than the traditional trade-in for new at the local golf or sporting goods store. Then the lack of used clubs in the stores frustrates the golfers that come in looking for it and the cycle is perpetuated. I have to tell several golfers a week in my Panama City Beach store that we have little to no pre-owned gear available.
With recent political maneuvers causing prices to rise in the near future on goods from some overseas countries, the companies we work with are sending emails daily promising new higher prices coming very soon. That will not make the cost of the game go down or even stand pat. We will see higher costs/prices on many brands and models. Manufacturers will have to pivot to find new suppliers or to find a way to build goods in the USA. This will take time and money and the prices will stay high or go higher. And then we will be right back to where we started pre-Tiger and pre-COVID, where only the wealthiest folks will be able to afford new golf products.
Maybe something will change – I’m not making any political statements here nor do I wish to get into that with anyone- I am simply pointing out that the game probably won’t be getting easier to afford in the near future. As a retailer, I want prices to come down so that more people can afford to play the game I love. I want to see the game grow in popularity and in numbers. That most likely will not happen if the path we are on doesn’t change somehow.
Many golfers need relatively affordable equipment and places to play that don’t cost an arm and a leg. Let’s hope together that we can get to a place that supports the growth of the game and makes it accessible to all who wish to participate. In the meantime, as a retailer, I will continue to try and source products that my customers can afford. That’s all I can do.
Fairways and Greens
