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Rising Costs of Fuel and Frequency of Playing


WillieT
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Since 2009, I've been lucky enough to play every weekday for the most part, weather permitting. Right now, I have a 30-mile, 35-minute drive to the course I belong to. (I couldn't afford the course I used to belong to, just a 5-7 minute drive away, after they jacked the membership price up more than double since COVID!) Most of it is highway driving and even though I get over 30mpg on the highway I will probably cut my playing back by 1, maybe 2 rounds per week, especially as the price per gallon approaches $4.00.

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I spend more money on lost golf balls than the gas it takes to get to the course so I’m not going to care.

I’ll just lose fewer golf balls 😉

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Bill

“By three methods we may learn wisdom: First, by reflection, which is noblest; Second, by imitation, which is easiest; and third by experience, which is the bitterest.” - Confucius

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3 minutes ago, billchao said:

I spend more money on lost golf balls than the gas it takes to get to the course so I’m not going to care.

I’ll just lose fewer golf balls 😉

Pro-V1 will cost you $4.50 per ball 😛 

Matt Dougherty, P.E.
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it actually shifted a trip. we are heading to palm Springs in a month or so. Plan was to drive over to Idaho day one, play a round, drive a bit the next morning, play a round, and finish trip in Palm Springs, rinse and repeat on home trip. New plan is fly down and rent a car...

but for local stuff? might be one or two fewer trips to play in Bend but will play somewhere local instead so total rounds unaffected. 

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Cost of gas won't affect whether I play or not since I drive a Tesla Model 3 :whistle:

Driver: :callaway: Rogue Max ST LS
Woods:  :cobra: Darkspeed LS 3Wood/3Hybrid
Irons: :tmade: P770 (4-PW)
Wedges: :callaway: MD3 50   MD5 54 58 degree  
Putter: :odyssey:  White Hot RX #1
Ball: :srixon: Z Star XV

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It won't affect me, but I don't have time to go very far to other courses.   I'm 10 minutes from where I play 95% of the time right now.   However when I lived in PA, my FIL (total turd) would play with a couple of other guys and they would drive all over the place.   Like 2 hours sometimes.   I suspect that they are cutting back their travel time.

—Adam

 

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I drive a gas guzzling Ram 2500 pickup truck, but gas prices won't affect how much I play as the course is less than 3 miles from the house. It is affecting how much I drive otherwise, and we cancelled a camping trip in a couple weeks because the cost of gas outside the city is even worse. 

Danny    In my :ping: Hoofer Tour golf bag on my :clicgear: 8.0 Cart

Driver:   :pxg: 0311 Gen 5  X-Stiff.                        Irons:  :callaway: 4-PW APEX TCB Irons 
3 Wood: :callaway: Mavrik SZ Rogue X-Stiff                            Nippon Pro Modus 130 X-Stiff
3 Hybrid: :callaway: Mavrik Pro KBS Tour Proto X   Wedges: :vokey:  50°, 54°, 60° 
Putter: :odyssey:  2-Ball Ten Arm Lock        Ball: :titleist: ProV 1

 

 

 

 

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Gas prices don't affect my golf at all. I play at a course about 5 miles from my house. My wife and I are a single car, low mileage household anyways, so the gas prices don't really impact our budget. I bike to work 95% of the time, and car usage is basically running local errands and taking kids to/from school.

-Peter

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I'm sure I'll notice the gas prices when I fill up but other than that I will not think about it.  I'm fortunate to be in Michigan where we have lots of courses, however I seem to like the ones father away.  I figure I'll make a few minor adjustments in my life due to gas prices but nothing earth shattering.  I may work from home an additional day each week or try to do more things in a single trip but doubt I will stop doing anything I enjoy just because of the gas prices.  My wife tells me I could slow down a little, but my Size 13 shoes just like to hit that gas peddle 🙂.  A couple weekends ago I did fill up 3 gas cans (@ 15 gal) and topped off my Expedition which I usually only drive during heavy snow because I expected the higher costs, but that will be a one-time cost saver.

I'm fortunate that I am not on a fixed income which maybe would alter my actions/choices.

I think the bigger inflation hit to us golfers will be the cost of a round.  My league course raised prices 11% for the 2021 season and then raised 15% for the 2022 season for a 27.8% 2-year increase.  A lot of our players are on fixed income and we choose to only pass a portion of the increase to the players and reduced the prize fund a little to balance the budget.  We did not lose anyone due to the cost so I do not think we are at the breaking point yet.

Stuart M.
 

I am a "SCRATCH GOLFER".  I hit ball, Ball hits Tree, I scratch my head. 😜

Driver: Ping G410 Plus 10.5* +1* / 3 Hybrid: Cleveland HIBORE XLS / 4,5 & 6 Hybrids: Mizuno JP FLI-HI / Irons/Wedges 7-8-9-P-G: Mizuno JPX800 HD / Sand Wedge: Mizuno JPX 800 / Lob Wedge: Cleveland CBX 60* / Putter: Odyssey White Hot OG 7S / Balls: Srixon Soft / Beer: Labatt Blue (or anything nice & cold) 

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6 hours ago, iacas said:

I mean, it's $2 more than last year. Right?

My fuel costs won't affect how much I play at all.

This. Even if you need two gallons to go round trip for golf (which I'd venture is way above average), you're spending ~$3 more per golf round as of 3/11/22 versus pre-pandemic average. Say you play 20 rounds a year. How many golfers can afford $600-$700 a year to play golf (munis average $30-35) but can't afford $660-$760? And if you're on that tight a budget and it takes enormous discipline and prioritization to afford $600 (plus balls, gloves, etc.), presumably you have the discipline to squeeze $60 out of other non-essential spending over an entire year.

 

4 hours ago, klineka said:

Cost of gas won't affect whether I play or not since I drive a Tesla Model 3 :whistle:

The price of natural gas will though :-D

Matt

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Gas costs aren't really what I'm worried about as far as costs for golf. I'm worried more about inflation, generally. An extra dollar or two roundtrip doesn't mean much when the price of golf is going up generally. Most courses around me are raising prices. Clubs seem to be slightly more expensive. Supposedly, supply chain issues are hitting some manufacturers hard, which will probably drive up costs more. And this is all on top of a golf boom that has happened since COVID. Beyond golf, necessities likes cars, rent, and groceries are getting more expensive too. All of that is more of a factor than gas prices, I would say.

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-- Daniel

In my bag: :callaway: Paradym :callaway: Epic Flash 3.5W (16 degrees)

:callaway: Rogue Pro 3-PW :edel: SMS Wedges - V-Grind (48, 54, 58):edel: Putter

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39 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

Gas costs aren't really what I'm worried about as far as costs for golf. I'm worried more about inflation, generally. An extra dollar or two roundtrip doesn't mean much when the price of golf is going up generally. Most courses around me are raising prices. Clubs seem to be slightly more expensive. Supposedly, supply chain issues are hitting some manufacturers hard, which will probably drive up costs more. And this is all on top of a golf boom that has happened since COVID. Beyond golf, necessities likes cars, rent, and groceries are getting more expensive too. All of that is more of a factor than gas prices, I would say.

If you bought a car in 2021 you are probably very happy. So far the average new car in 2022 is 12.2% higher than in 2021. Some are saying it will go to 25% higher this year when all is said and done. 

My bag is an ever-changing combination of clubs. 

A mix I am forever tinkering with. 

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I'll add a different view.  I had a friend die of a heart attack at age 66 this past week.  He was in good health (so everyone thought).  If you are 6' under does it really matter if you spend a few extra dollars for a life experience?  Ya you have to draw the line somewhere but instead of a Big Mac, spent that time with family and friends on the golf course.

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From the land of perpetual cloudiness.   I'm Denny

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It's 3 miles to my course.  I'm there about 5 days a week.  That distance is not an issue relative to rising gas prices.  I am fortunate.  It's the rising price of the boneless/skinless chicken breast I bought the night before to fashion into a simple garlic chicken pasta dish.  (Perhaps this should have been posted to the Food Thread)

garlic chicken pasta.jpg

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7 hours ago, ChetlovesMer said:

If you bought a car in 2021 you are probably very happy. So far the average new car in 2022 is 12.2% higher than in 2021. Some are saying it will go to 25% higher this year when all is said and done. 

I bought a new car in November 2019. It has less than 20k miles on it. I could sell it for more than I paid for it. I'm sitting pretty with it at the moment. I am glad I won't be needing to buy a new car anytime soon. And now I'm knocking on all the wood near me.

-- Daniel

In my bag: :callaway: Paradym :callaway: Epic Flash 3.5W (16 degrees)

:callaway: Rogue Pro 3-PW :edel: SMS Wedges - V-Grind (48, 54, 58):edel: Putter

 :aimpoint:

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15 minutes ago, DeadMan said:

I bought a new car in November 2019. It has less than 20k miles on it. I could sell it for more than I paid for it. I'm sitting pretty with it at the moment. I am glad I won't be needing to buy a new car anytime soon. And now I'm knocking on all the wood near me.

Ditto. Though I got mine January, 2021. Has just under 11k miles.

It's crazy.

Erik J. Barzeski —  I knock a ball. It goes in a gopher hole. 🏌🏼‍♂️
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