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Is golf still on the decline in your area?

jdtox

jdtox

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I was just listening to the radio and they were talking about how pricing for golf this year is going to dramatically drop around here because golf courses are struggling. I found that to be strange as last year prices were same as they have always been and courses always seem to be full. What about you have you noticed a price drop or a decrease in people at your course?
 
jdtox said:
I was just listening to the radio and they were talking about how pricing for golf this year is going to dramatically drop around here because golf courses are struggling. I found that to be strange as last year prices were same as they have always been and courses always seem to be full. What about you have you noticed a price drop or a decrease in people at your course?
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I think Karsch and Anderson have no idea what they are talking about.

That being said, I think the golf courses that are still around now kind of went through a survival of the fittest the last decade.

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This was our local radio? That doesn't sound right to me. If anything I have seen the opposite. Prices at the nicer public courses around here have all increased their prices and they are busier than ever. As you know Michigan people are crazy about their golf for the 6 months a year we can play it.
 
My rates keep going up and I have over a hundred courses within 60 miles.
 
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tpluff said:
I think Karsch and Anderson have no idea what they are talking about.

That being said, I think the golf courses that are still around now kind of went through a survival of the fittest the last decade.

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Lions81 said:
This was our local radio? That doesn't sound right to me. If anything I have seen the opposite. Prices at the nicer public courses around here have all increased their prices and they are busier than ever. As you know Michigan people are crazy about their golf for the 6 months a year we can play it.
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Yeah 97.1 as tpluff said Karsch & Anderson. I thought it was ridiculous when I heard it too.
 
Absolutely it is on the decline from a number of golfers standpoint.

depending on where you read
#Of Golfers
30.6 million in 2003
24.7 million in 2014
24.1 million in 2015
23.8 million in 2016

all declines.

The good news is the number of beginning golfers continues to be on the rise. Otherwise the decline would be worse

WOuld be curious to see the rounds played reports for those same times, to see if they are just losing golfers, but the ones sticking around are playing more. I know from 2012 to like 2015 the number of rounds played was on the decline, then increased in 2016.
 
"Still on the decline"... is the interesting bit for me. Golf took a hit over the past decade with the recession, no doubt. I'm not seeing any obvious decline in the near term, but, there are clearly not as many newer/younger golfers starting with the game (at least here, locally), which could offset what will be a huge loss of players as the baby boomers age and pass. That could lead to some interesting golf market dynamics over the next 10 to 20 years.
 
From what my club has told me they have been getting a lot of new members which would lead me to believe golf is on the increase.
 
You can't call it a decline from the Tiger bump, that's a correction.

But it's never going to decline here on LI, tons of golfers.
 
In my observation, the courses in my area seem busier than ever
 
One course in my city had their range destroyed last year in a windstorm. This closed the course for a some time, with the range rebuilt over the course of a few months. They then had the range destroyed AGAIN, this time by an icestorm. Course closed for a while, range rebuild ETA: who knows.

Another also had their range destroyed by the same icestorm. They're also in survival mode.
 
We've had two courses close and two on the verge of closing in my area. Private clubs have lowered their initiations to almost nothing when they would have been $50k+ ten or more years ago.

The younger generation isn't picking up the game and you can tell by the crowd at my local course. Some schools are dropping golf teams completely.

I think ten years from now will be a completely different golf landscape as baby boomers stop playing and the younger generation never starts....

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I don't think golf at public courses are doing that bad but country clubs in our area are definitely on the decline.
 
Definitely not. The muni's in Los Angeles are always packed. It's hard to get a decent tee time on the weekends unless you get one as soon as they open online. Sometimes I get lucky the night before with cancellations though
 
I would love it if courses dropped in prices this year but I doubt it. Still long a** rounds and filled driving ranges. Seems to be just fine here in the Bay Area. Nothing really drops in price here unfortunately..
 
I don’t think it ever was in decline up here.
 
I split my time between Long Island and Myrtle Beach. Long Island courses, private and public are busy as ever. Surprisingly, Myrtle Beach has seen a lot of course closings over the last 3-4 years. There would have been a lot more if Chinese investors hadn't bought 20 or 30 others. The downside for now is people who live on these courses are concerned that the courses themselves will be closed and housing will be built there. This is how it seems to be trending here. My development kept membership dues the same price this year as last. It's the first time in 8 years I haven't been increased. When I think about it, the equipment manufacturers are more to blame for the decline then the golf courses. If you don't agree, bring a friend who doesn't golf with you on your next trip to a golf store. Watch his reaction as he sees what the cost of new equipment (bags, clubs, balls, etc). Then let him hear the prices you are quoted for clubs you want to trade toward your purchase. We love golf, and accept these things, but do you think that person whos never played is going to walk out of there thinking "this is something I want myself and my family getting involved in?" Don't think so.
 
I don't see that in my area. A few popular courses have closed recently, but it seems the ones I frequent are as busy or even busier than in past years. Prices? I only wish prices would go down. Not going to happen around here.
 
I know not of this decline you speak of outside of in golf retail available in my area. Prices have been pretty consistent around here and not sure of any courses with a decline in rounds other than on Andrews AFB and that is because a change in policy for base access for non DoD golfers that affected the number if tournaments they hold
 
No real decline here. I help with the junior program at my club. We have seen 2 new students each week. Started at 18 now at 42. We have also added a separate session for the kids 14-17 looking to play higher level golf. Our membership dropped after hurricane Harvey to 435. We are back to 500 with a 55 name waiting list. Golf in Houston is strong


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The Atlanta market is sorta up and down. Clubcorp is basically taking over and forcing other private clubs to lower their prices. Public courses are still high in demand in prime season but it seems like overall, prices have dropped over the last decade or so.


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Probably stabilized here. Public courses I play the rates for daily play or membership are staying the same or close to it. Another private club is biting the dust but most of those members end up going to another private club. Private clubs inch their dues and fees up, but then they just lose members and have to offer deals.

All that said there have been numerous private and public courses close over the last 15 years in my area. The public course rates are still way down from their peaks of many years ago.
 
Noticeably on decline already, but the lack of tourism this season has hurt big time. That said, the 9 hole course where I play now is full every time I go. The resort courses are the ones I think are in trouble.


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No decline here in Eastern Washington. Public courses are for the most part pretty busy.
Country clubs? I don't care, I can't play them.
 
Affordable public courses tend to be packed on weekends around here, at least the city and decent ones. Golf is pretty affordable in NE Ohio so that counts for a lot. Between golf now and other deals I never pay over $30 for a round and usually under $20 on a weekday. There are some super solid courses that are nice and you can get off under $50. Growing up in San Diego it is nice as there unless you drive an hour inland weekend golf is $60 for a meh course all the way up to $100 and up, and up can get way up.
 
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