Over the years, Golf has built a bad and on some levels discriminative reputation of being a sport only for rich people that are in their late 50s or 60s. Golf is considered a ‘rich men sport’ just because there are a lot of costs that go along with the sport, such as:
- Equipment
- Uniform
- Course fees/membership
Also, golf is considered an exclusive sport because it is very difficult to pick up and play, and most people need to spend some time taking lessons which also adds to the cost.
With that said, there is an improvement in how people interact with the sport. The beginnings of Golf date back hundreds of years, but the sport rose in popularity in the 16th century thanks to its endorsement by King Charles I and Mary Stuart, Queen of Scots.
After the fast adaptation all across the world, the first Open Championship was formed back in 1860, and since then women started forming their own lady’s clubs and tournaments. Nowadays, golf isn’t considered a men’s sport like in the past and has a wider acceptance in terms of gender and nationality.
How Much Does Golf Cost?
Even though golf remains a leisure sport, now leisure is exclusive to the rich. The biggest problem with golf and its acceptance through all classes is its time consumption.
An 18-hole course can take you up to six hours to finish, and you need golfing lessons for at least a month before you are ready to go on your own.
With that said, golf is much easier to learn and improve your golf skills than any other team-based sport, and there is a good reason for that. For starters, with golf, your physical abilities don’t play a huge role in your skills. All you need is the right technique and some knowledge about the physics of the sport and you are good to go.
On the other hand, with basketball or football, you need a lot of practice, and you are still not promised to play in semi-professional leagues. The physical abilities of golf are not limited to people who are tall, strong, or fast enough.
This is also the reason why golf is very popular with the older generation. Can you imagine your grandad playing a physical sport like basketball or football? Of course not. But with golf, older people can have fun, do some light exercises, and enjoy a breath of fresh air.
Over the years, golf has changed and now it isn’t a sport only for the elite. As the popularity of golf rises, the price of playing the sport declines due to wider acceptance and more availability of golf courses, equipment, and training sessions.
How To Play Golf On A Budget?
Nowadays, golf is populated by people from different financial classes. Since it is leisure, people go on golf courses as a way to relax and spend time with their loved ones. This means that they are ready to spend a couple of hundred dollars per year for a couple of golf expeditions.
Also, most people who play golf are only there for having fun or relaxing and they are not chasing their professional careers in the sport. With that said, there is no need for buying expensive equipment that can cost you thousands of dollars when you can rent out the necessary equipment for the day from the golf course.
If you play golf as a hobby, you can subscribe to some of the best golf subscription boxes and get a bundle of items for cheap prices.
Even though the entry barrier in golf is higher than in other sports even for casual play, it seems that the reputation of being a ‘rich men’s sport’ is slowly disappearing since it is not out of reach for most people.
So, if you love playing golf or want to try it out, don’t be scared of the costs that go with the sport. You can still find some affordable courses, rent out your equipment for the day and have some fun with your friends or family.
