Many non-golfers have the impression that our sport is elitist and favors wealthy and well-connected individuals.

They believe that annual subscriptions are astronomical, that equipment is ridiculously expensive, that the game is riddled with snobbery, and that it’s “not for people like us.”

I’ve been playing the sport long enough to know the reality: golf clubs with immaculate car parks for members and piles of mud for visitors, clubs with unbelievable dress codes, exorbitant green fees, rude clubhouse staff, members who look down on anyone earning less than £100,000 a year, discrimination against women and young people, waiting lists, huge joining fees. Oh, and the dreaded interview for prospective members.

At the time, I was a junior member of a golf club on the outskirts of Glasgow. My mother was only allowed into the club bar when she was with my father. All women who played at the club had criminal restrictions on playing times and had to share the spike bar with the sweaty juniors after their rounds. And no one batted an eyelid.

Let’s not pretend that everything is perfect now. Muirfield was dropped from the Open roster because it did not allow female members. It was only reinstated when it agreed to change that policy. And it was not long ago that Augusta National, home of the Masters, finally entered the 21st century and allowed women into its hallowed halls.

Many clubs still treat women terribly, as if they were second-class citizens. In 2024, that is completely unacceptable. Not that it was ever acceptable.

There are still clubs that insist on formal dress in the clubhouse, require knee socks in humid summer weather and ban collarless shorts. In this day and age, this is simply ridiculous.

(Photo credit: Kevin Diss Photography)

Turnberry recently announced that it is increasing its green fee to £1,000 during peak times. For a round of golf! If that isn’t elitist, I don’t know what is. It means that 99.9% of the population will never be able to use that golf course. It’s an extreme example, but there are many, many golf clubs that outprice the average golfer.

As a journalist and golf writer, I have had the incredible privilege of playing on many of the world’s best golf courses and I can tell you that none of them are worth £1,000 for a round – or even half that. It’s almost as if the top courses just don’t want ‘real’ people to be able to enjoy what they have to offer.

We’ve all been to clubhouses where both the staff and members made us feel unwelcome.

I recently played at a golf course in Norfolk which shall remain unnamed. Suffice it to say that the daily green fee is over £100. Before we started our round, the club pro told us to come into the shop after we had finished our round and tell him what we thought. In fact, he wanted us to come back and tell him how wonderful his golf course was.

The reality is that while the views were stunning, there was a lack of signage around the course, making it difficult to find each tee. And there was no sand in the bunkers. It was like playing on rock-hard concrete.

“So, how was your round, sir?”

Well, he asked, so I replied, “Great views, some nice holes, but I don’t have to tell you how bad your bunkers are.”

His expression changed and I was greeted with an incredulous look: “It’s a links course. What do you expect?”

“I expect some sand in the bunkers.”

“The wind blows it away.”

We then went to the clubhouse for a drink and something to eat and were followed by a member who had overheard my conversation with the pro and he was not happy that we had dared to criticise the state of the bunkers. Maybe I am wrong but if you spend over £100 to play 18 holes then wouldn’t you expect to find some sand in the bunkers?

But we shouldn’t be fooled into thinking that the whole sport is like that. There are over 1,800 golf courses in England alone and I can say without hesitation that the vast majority of them are friendly and welcoming. And affordable.

After the pandemic, golfers boomed, and although some clubs tried to make money by charging higher annual fees and introducing joining fees, most were simply happy to welcome new members. In fact, one could argue that the increased number of players actually helped to reduce annual fees and green fees.

While it’s true that the latest shiny golf equipment can be expensive – very expensive – you don’t need to spend £500 on a driver that’s unlikely to help your game. A quick internet search will show you that it’s possible to get some incredible bargains on equipment. And there’s no reason not to consider buying second-hand clubs, which can be had for a bargain price.

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