Golfweek reports that MacGregor is selling off its inventory at fire sale prices. It seems the company is in trouble.
Their latest driver, the MT-460 is selling at Rock Bottom Golf for $79.
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I’m not surprised. Golf kept getting more and more expensive over the past two decades. Now a lot of people can’t afford to play. Over the years I have seen quite a number of old, rundown municipal courses turned into “upscale” courses. The only thing is, the end result was that a FUN, cost-friendly course was turned into just another $100/round course.
When I first started playing, we used pull carts and walked. Green fees on weekends were about $10 which would translate to $20 or $25 now. The courses were not in perfect condition, but none of us were tour quality players.
Now, if I play on the weekend, I pay $100 for green fee and mandatory cart. And as likely as not, the cart can’t leave the cart path. Oh, and the round takes five-plus hours.
We used to walk, finish in less then 3 1/2 hours, and pay the equivalent of $25 in today’s dollars. Now it’s $100 for six hours of waiting five minutes between shots.
It’s not worth it. With the bad economy, people have stopped playing. Some of the money coming out of those house refi mortgage ATMs was going for golf equipment. No wonder MacGregor is sufferering.
Blame Tiger
Or at least blame the people who thought that Tiger’s popularity would translate into a mass movement of people into the game of golf. The course owners all tried to get out in front of that hypothetical boom by raising rates and going upscale. It never materialized, and most who took up the game quit when they discovered that—surprise!!—it’s hard.
As for the carts, it’s a cash cow for the courses. I know several courses that will let you walk, but you still have to pay for the cart. I don’t patronize those facilites.
I like carts. Then again, I have essentially have one-and-a-half legs, so I’m probably a bit biased.
Carts are a great way to increase access to the courses. But there are far too many people using them who should be walking.