[loveliberty2]

With the almost fanatical devotion of young parents to youth soccer, has anyone noticed that young fathers who used to spend hours on the golf course on weekends are now spending those weekends alongside a soccer field instead?

[onedoug]

barry´ll have to play what public courses survive, eventually.

[aegiscg47]

Up here in Northern Utah you can sometimes get in 18 with a cart for $20-25 on some days. In SLC, however, some of those are in the $50-75 a round category, which while cheap in comparison to most courses in the U.S., makes it expensive for me who has several children to feed! I'm not sure how long it takes to play is the decisive factor, rather that people just don't have the extra money anymore. The driving range I've been going to for the last dozen years or so is usually busy on Sundays, but this year it's usually two other people and me out there.

[texmexis best]

There also seems to be a correlation between the start of the golf channel and the fall in rounds played. It is easier to stay home and watch someone play than go out and play it yourself.

[VOA]

“
US golf clubs in the rough as members drop away
“

Add in the closure of some golf courses due to death of grass
(bentgrass and poa) during the month-long heat wave...things are
hurting in the golfing world near the Mason Dixon Line.
(as reported on the Wall Street Journal radio show last week)

[BluH2o]

Belong to a country club here in Colorado. They offer two memberships, recreational & golf. Recreational membership gives me access to a indoor pool & 50 meter (outdoor summer only) pool for lap swimming. A state of the art workout center and indoor/outdoor tennis courts. Golf membership gives you all of the above plus an award winning 18 hole golf course. The golf membership dues are outrageous, at least to me your quintessential duffer ... if I played low handicap golf I might feel differently. The recreational membership does allow me to use the golf course 12 times a season, just not on weekends, or, if there’s a tournament. This year I have yet to play one round of golf on the club course ... nor, at least to this point, do I feel inclined to do so.

[Freedom56v2]

Bailout coming? Or perhaps dear leader will just play more to stimulate the sport....

[who_would_fardels_bear]

I think it's a good thing that lower cost country clubs where most of the members probably actually golf are closing.

Meanwhile the most expensive country clubs where most of the members haven't golfed in years are doing quite well.

At those clubs most of the members are there just as a status symbol and just to network with equally vapid people.

One more step on the way to a bipolar nation of the have-nots and have-f***in everything.

/sarc

[proudpapa]

$25,000 for a golf membership???

I found paradise. Unlimited golf and pool access in the summer months for $350 per year. Not to mention an incredible ocean view.