Golf has never been a cheap sport. But it seems more people than ever are questioning the pricing of golf equipment.
When a set of premium irons can cost the same as a week in the Algarve, it’s no surprise golfers are beginning to wonder whether performance gains still justify the price tag.
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It can feel like the sport has entered a new financial era – one which has seen the gap between affordability and aspiration seem larger than ever.
Is this a fair assumption? Or are we guilty of a bit of typical British moaning without considering the bigger picture.
Speaking on The NCG Golf Podcast, Tom Irwin firmly thinks it is the latter. “My personal view is that I don’t think golf equipment is that expensive relative to anything else,” he said.
“I think it is hard to argue against the fact that golf equipment has consistently improved over the years. This improvement comes from innovations like more advanced materials and increased research. These both have large costs attached to them.”
“I actually think the price increases in golf equipment over the last two/three decades is actually relatively moderate,” Irwin added.
Is golf equipment becoming too expensive?
“I think there was a correction. The top end driver has gone up £170ish over the last 30 years, which doesn’t seem that out of step with inflation to me.
“I would say that for all the scepticism about driver technology, the performance benefits are real. The product that you are wielding now is so much more forgiving than it ever has been.”
But are some golfers finding it hard to justify the price of new golf clubs? Are they turning to other markets instead?
“To me, it feels like equipment has rocketed in price,” said Steve Carroll told the podcast.
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“I say this from my own experience, which is if you go back 10 or 12 years ago, when I had much less disposable income than I do know, I used to change my golf clubs every couple of years.
“I would get fed up and want a new set of golf clubs. Now, I don’t think my mentality has changed. I would still like a new set of clubs every couple of years but I look at the prices now in a way I never did a decade ago. Now I go; ‘I just can’t afford these’.
“That has led me to look at some other options, such as direct to consumer brands. They market themselves at half the price of established brands.
“I do wonder where the limit is for the price of golf clubs or whether the overall market expects that golfers will buy now two or three-year-old golf clubs.”
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