Golf Isn’t Getting Cheaper—Here’s How Expensive It’s Become

The golf universe has changed substantially since COVID-19, with an influx of new players joining the game. This surge in popularity has led to an estimated 40 percent increase in costs across the board.

While rounds at local municipal courses saw the smallest changes in pricing, country club memberships and destination golf experienced significant cost increases. In the Twin Cities, Minnesota (Minneapolis and St. Paul), many major country clubs previously offered memberships with little or no initiation fee; often allowing costs to be amortized over several years prior to COVID.

Greg Nathan, CEO of the National Golf Foundation, said the pandemic renewed the need for community among many Americans.

The isolation and shutdowns of COVID led people to search for a so-called “third place.” “If home is one place and work is the second place, what’s the third place where you feel like you belong in a community of people? And I think that’s also had a meaningful effect on the demand of private golf in America as you look at all socio-behavioral trends,” Nathan told Front Office Sports.

“You could say that private golf is a loose extension of that, in terms of wanting to be part of a community,” he added.

Source: https://frontofficesports.com/country-club-initiation-fees-soar-with-golfs-popularity/

Fast-forward to 2025, and those same clubs have significantly raised their initiation fees; one example increasing from $5,000 amortized over five years to $40,000 due in full. The Club at Golden Valley, formerly Golden Valley Country Club, previously offered a zero-dollar initiation beginning in late fall, with memberships around $400 per month. After substantial renovations and a rebrand, the Club at Golden Valley now has a $39,500 initiation fee and monthly dues starting at $816.

Source: https://www.theclubgv.com/membership/golf-membership

In major golf markets, the cost of joining a high-end country club can far exceed published initiation fees. With the influx of golfers, many clubs now have extensive waiting lists. At The Silverleaf Club in Scottsdale, Arizona, the $400,000 initiation fee is often tied into real estate transactions, dramatically increasing the asking price of homes on the course.

“I could ask for an extra million dollars for the home because you jumped the wait list,” John Middlekauff of the 3 and Out podcast said. “They’re coming from Chicago or L.A., so it’s worth it for them to pay way more to jump the line, because it’s one of those things where you can’t really pay people off to jump the line just because you have money.”

Source: https://frontofficesports.com/country-club-initiation-fees-soar-with-golfs-popularity/

These rising costs aren’t limited to country clubs. Destination golf has also become more expensive due to golf’s resurgence. Courses like Pebble Beach, Bay Hill, and TPC San Antonio require a stay to play, adding new layers to the term “public golf.” In 2019, Pebble Beach did not require a stay, and tee times could be booked in advance by off-resort guests. Today, Pebble Beach requires a resort stay—averaging $1,400 per night—to book tee times more than 24 hours in advance. While green fees increased modestly from $550 to $675, the added lodging requirement effectively places a $1,400 surcharge on the experience, making the No. 1-ranked public course cost-prohibitive for many golfers.

Other golf-centric destinations like Bandon Dunes and Sand Valley have kept prices relatively stable over the years. However, these resorts continue to add new courses, which increases both the length and cost of trips for golfers seeking the full experience. Sand Valley recently announced two additional courses, The Commons and an unnamed match-play course. A stay is not required, and public tee times range from $100 to $295. Still, each added day required to play the full slate of courses could add around $600 to the cost of a trip.

With waiting lists and destination golf continuing to go up in popularity prices going into 2026 are estimated to go up, asking the question, when will golf hit its pricing limits.