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Social aspects of golf

In the United States, golf is the unofficial sport of the business world. It is often said that board meetings merely confirm decisions that are actually made on the golf course. For this reason, the successful conduct of business golf (which extends beyond merely knowing the game) is considered a useful business skill; various schools, including prestigious universities such as Stanford University, have started both undergraduate and graduate-level courses that teach "business golf." The PGA of America, an organization separate from the PGA Tour, helps to sponsor these programs at universities nationwide.

Cost to Play

The cost of an average round of golf is USD $36 [8], and the sport is regularly enjoyed by over 26 million Americans and many more world-wide. In fact, most regions of the United States feature public courses which strive to be affordable for the average golfer. The fact that golf tends to be a sport associated with wealthy businesspeople and professionals (doctors golfing on Wednesdays, corporate golf days, etc), not to mention the high prices and wealthy clientele that can afford to pay to join elite country clubs, contribute to the perception that golf is expensive. By contrast, there is no other single sport that might be compared to golf as a sport for affluent people (hunting may be on par, so to speak, as the sport of business in the American south, but golf is still pervasive in the south while hunting, which is common in the American north and midwest, is less prevalent as a business sport, while golf remains the standard).Caddyshack did not do much to elevate this belief above observable reality.

To compare golf against other sports is to quantify what makes it more expensive:

• Golf is not a game in which equipment can be comfortably shared. By comparison, 12 people can share one soccer ball and 10 people can share one basketball. Buying or even renting an entire set of golf clubs immediately becomes more expensive.

• Playing golf requires paying a green fee to enter a golf course. Meanwhile, playing soccer or touch-football or basketball at a school field or public playground is free of cost.

• Exposure to golf is also not as accessible as other sports. For example, most kids will play baseball or hockey or football or soccer in high school, and the equipment is provided (usually for a registration fee that has been subsidized or sponsored privately). However, few high schools offer a golf program where kids can be exposed to and learn the game at a relatively cheaper price.

• Comparing golf to other individual (rather than team) sports, golf is still more expensive. One racquet for a racquet sport (tennis, squash, racquetball) is still much cheaper than a set of clubs, and registration at a racquet club or even a local YMCA for a month can be cheaper than one day at the golf course. Moreover, kids can borrow an old racquet and hit a ball against a school wall for free, while there really is no way to practice driving a tee shot or chipping unless one pay to play golf or pay to work at a driving range or indoor golf training facility.

Further, the social status of better (and usually more expensive) equipment cannot be overlooked. Few will notice or care the condition of a baseball glove as long as you can catch a ball in it. Similarly, as long as a basketball has enough air to bounce evenly, no one cares what condition it is. In order to be outfitted with the latest equipment (including rather expensive clothing, shoes and gloves) one can end up spending quite a sum. Also, greens fees at some of the more picturesque and prestigious courses can be quite sizeable. Again, because golf has become the platform through which business people interact, evaluate each other, and generally talk/negotiate, the quality of one's clubs and dress are an expression of their success; "if one can't afford decent clubs and clothes, or hasn't the interest in spending enough money to look decent on the course, perhaps that one is not successful in business, or serious about doing business with me".

Cost of Maintenance

The maintenance and upkeep of a golf course demands significant expense. Public outdoor tennis courts also require fees which are allocated in part to maintenance and upkeep. Unlike a school soccer field or neighbourhood basketball court, a golf course cannot be left to the elements. Moreover, unlike a basketball or tennis court, grass continues to grow, as do weeds, trees, etc, which must be constantly and regularly trimmed and kept in order to maintain a clean course. As well, families of local fauna must be kept in check (squirrels and foxes can make for picturesque scenes, but skunks and raccoons can't be permitted to take up residence).

The sheer size of a golf course (on average, 75 acres) demands no small amount of crew and equipment. But, not just any crew or any equipment - specialized groundskeepers and specialized equipment must be used to maintain a stimulating and beautiful tee, fairway, green, as well as bunkers, water hazards, etc. Quality grasses, soils, flora, and a high degree of ever-changing technology requires that a country club can't really "go cheap" and expect to remain profitable.

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