Golf Cuts Costs To Attract Players

(CBS)  If you're looking for ways the economy is affecting the sport of golf, the Hamlet Country Club on Long Island, N.Y. is a good place to start.

"You were charging $15,000 as an initiation fee," said CBS News correspondent Jeff Glor to Barry Weisberg, the manager of the country club, who started working there 16 years ago.

"When I started here, yes," Weisberg said.

"And now?" Glor asked.

"It is waived," Weisberg said.

"Nothing? Zero?" Glor asked.

"That's correct," Barry said.

Right now, golf is on sale.

"There's no question that the economic climate has certainly affected the golf industry, just as like any other," said Greg Nathan the vice president of the National Golf Foundation.

But it's not just the recession. It is part of a bigger trend, as the number of private golf clubs nationwide has dropped 12 percent in 20 years. Public course play has dropped off too - 20 percent in those 20 years. Of the courses left, 10 to 15 percent report being "seriously challenged," according to the National Golf Foundation.

"How does golf get that mojo back?" Glor asked.

"Well, we thought we had it with Tiger," said Chris Carter, the head pro at Hamlet. "I think that we were probably over built. I think that was probably part of it. In the 90s we saw a lot of courses being built, you know now we are in a stage where it's survival of the fittest."

Add to that changing family dynamics.

"I think now guys are getting married a bit later, having families a bit later, and there's more time restraints," Carter said.

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Reporter's Notebook: A Love For The Game

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To stay afloat, Hamlet dropped that initiation fee, is offering one-time summer memberships for $4,500 and is opening the club to outside functions.

"Anything goes to get people out here and playing, absolutely," Carter said.

Many clubs are also opening up to outside golfers. Another trend: for every club that closes, 10 go from private to public, which means anyone can book a tee time for a fee.

"If you are a public course golfer, the opportunity to play a super high quality facility for a very reasonable price, I mean those opportunities are better than ever," said Nathan.

And the deals don't end at the courses. Golf shops and golf manufacturers, stung by the recession, are trying to unload equipment with deep discounts.

"So right now, I spend $300 on this and I get this $180 club for free," Glor said.

"That is correct," said Chris Verrara, with Golfsmith.

The golfing industry is hoping that cost-cutting, creative thinking and a consistent push to open the sport to more players will lead to a new golden age for the game.

Just don't look for any evidence of a golden swing from Glor.

"Oh come on!" Glor groaned.

[enough-already]

Golf is an awesome challenging sport... That being said I love the fact that the country clubs are suffering. I have serious issues with the extreme wealthy and I gain satisfaction knowing they are losing their private playgrounds. Hopefully this trend continues. Posted by ddaryl1

I couldn't agree more, ddaryl1. Couldn't agree more.

[enough-already]

We are just regular people who enjoy the privacy and don't mid paying for it.
Posted by drivelphobe

"Just regular people" don't PAY for their privacy, at least not the "regular" people I know. If I need privacy, I go someplace PRIVATE, like I don't know, the park, the river, my car, the library, my bedroom, lots of places, where you don't have to PAY for privacy. I think THAT remains in the realm of "the rich".

[enough-already]

"It take less land for a golf course than a Nascar track. Golf is a gentle persons sport, you wouldn't understand."Posted by sky_five

#1- To whom are you addressing this comment?
#2- On what do you base this statement? There are some very small golf courses, and some very large golf courses, as well as some small Nascar tracks, and some very large Nascar tracks.
#3- How do you know that the person you are addressing isn't a "gentle person"? And who are you to decide that the person wouldn't understand?
Have a nice game.

[enough-already]

There are many well off people willing to pay from $25,000 to $100,000 to join private golf courses. On top of that, you are required to spend a minimum on food each month or pay a monthly charge. Posted by rhs648

I'm sorry, I don't care what anyone says, but if you make enough money that you can afford to pay 25 to 100K to join a golf club, you are RICH. Not necessarily a snob (I do have a couple of friends who have that kind of money, and they are not snobs), but rich. Now get a bunch of rich dudes together at their PRIVATE little club, and you better believe that a lot of them are going to become "snobby", especially if someone who doesn't belong to their elite group tries to impinge on their privacy. There you have rich snobs. And golf courses are the only place I've seen it happen, regularly.

[enough-already]

Members of private golf clubs are not rich snobs. Posted by drivelphobe

I'm sure that a rich snob DOESN'T seem like a rich snob to another rich snob.
No offense intended (really).

[enough-already]

..."These are very social people who have worked hard, become financially successful and want access to a golf course that is not crowded and over-run by imbeciles in levis and T-shirts,...
"The monthly dues are affordable, the food is great, the golf is never crowded, and it is truly a place to go where you can relax and not be bothered."
"I have many friends that I would have never met had it not been for the club."
Posted by drivelphobe
Financially successful=rich
Imbeciles in levis and t-shirts=people who are NOT rich
Relax and not be bothered=only other rich people on the course
Never met had it not been for the club=only a bunch of other rich dudes there to meet

drivelphobe- Your post only reinforces my contention- the "run of the mill" golfers (those that can't afford to join private clubs) are uncouth and bothersome according to your standards, and you "don't want to be bothered" by them. To me, that is the definition of a snob. I'm sorry if it hurts, but that's what you sound like. Have a nice game.

[omega39-2009]

"Golf courses and cemeteries,biggest waste of prime real estate" Rodney Dangerfield in Caddyshack

[krw127]

Private courses are great - just wish the cheapskates would leave a tip based on the service they got. Many believe since they paid a fee to join and have already paid a basic food cost for the month they do not have to leave a tip.

[ddaryl1]

golf is an awesome challengin sport... That being said I love the fact that the ocuntry clubs are suffering. I have serious issues with the extreme wealthy and I gain satisfaction knowing they are losing their private playgrounds.

Hopefully this trend continues.

[azure13]

I quit playing golf about five years ago, except to play a couple scrambles with my dad. He likes that. But I quit because it just costs too damn much, and it takes up too much valuable time. Life is too short.