Why is golf considered the most expensive sport in the world?

(Dan Tri) - Considered one of the most luxurious sports in the world, few people know that golf is not something that can be played with money.

Among today's sports , golf is always considered the most expensive sport, showing the class of the super rich. Why is that?

In fact, to become a real player, you may have to spend hundreds of millions of dong on rackets, clothes or practice court rental fees.

Because of these huge sums of money, golf has become a very selective sport. Not everyone with passion or innate talent has the conditions to pursue this sport to the end.

What is golf?

Golf is an outdoor sport in which players use various clubs to hit a small ball into holes on a course, with the goal of completing the entire course in as few strokes as possible.

Britannica reports that a round typically consists of 18 standard holes, which is the common structure of most golf courses today. An 18-hole course is 6,500-7,000 yards (equivalent to 5,900-6,400m) long.

Each hole is 100-600 yards (90-550m) long. With only 9 holes on the course, players will play twice to complete the required 18 holes. Golf clubs are designed specifically for different positions where the ball can stop and different distances to the hole.

The Swilcan Stone Bridge is a sacred symbol of the world golf village (Photo: Gordon Hatton).

According to Historic UK , golf originated from a game played along the east coast of Scotland. In the early days, players used primitive sticks or curved clubs to hit pebbles over sand dunes and around a track.

In the 15th century, Scotland was in a hurry to strengthen its forces to deal with the threat of invasion from enemies. The people's passion for golf caused them to neglect military training. The situation was so serious that the Scottish Parliament under King James II was forced to ban golf in 1457.

It wasn't until 1502 that the sport received royal recognition when King James IV of Scotland (1473-1513) became the world's first monarch to play golf. With the support of the aristocracy, golf quickly spread throughout Europe in the 16th century.

King Charles I introduced the sport to England, and Mary Queen of Scots also introduced golf to France during her time there.

What is the most luxurious golf club today?

The term “expensive” in the golf world is divided into two main categories: the cost of joining (club membership) and the investment in equipment (individual clubs or sets of clubs).

To become a serious golfer, you need to pay an initial cost of up to hundreds of thousands of dollars. These investments do not only buy the right to play golf, but also represent a high-class lifestyle, the opportunity to connect with high-class business people and superior amenities.

For golfers, true luxury isn't about the clubs they hold. It's about the venue and the wealthy community they surround themselves with.

For example, The Madison Club (California, USA) opened in 2007 and is considered a symbol of luxury in the golf world with a membership fee of up to 500,000 USD (about 13.1 billion VND).

Step into this club and you will experience a golf course personally designed by the legendary Tom Fazio. In addition, this place is also known as a privileged land, providing perfect course conditions, world-class facilities and absolute privacy.

The Madison Club Golf Club's most luxurious and expensive campus in the world (Photo: The Madison Club).

According to Golf Inspired , The Madison Club’s high price tag gives members access to a coveted lifestyle, a “golden ticket” into the elite.

Despite its global reputation, The Madison Club remains shrouded in mystery. Few people know exactly who its members are or how much it actually costs to join.

Why are golf clubs always expensive?

Aside from the high-end golf club membership fees, golf clubs also come with incredible prices, especially those from luxury brands or with special historical origins.

According to GolferHive , beginners can start with a basic set of clubs for around $200, while mid-range sets with higher quality and finish cost between $700 and $1,300.

Golfing Focus recommends that beginners start with 8-10 clubs, rather than carrying a full 14 from the start.

The set of clubs from the Honma Five Star brand, priced at $75,000 (about 1.9 billion VND), is considered one of the most expensive golf clubs in the world. Meanwhile, the Scotty Cameron putter once used by the legendary Tiger Woods was auctioned for more than $393,300 (about 10.3 billion VND) thanks to its historical value.

To create a high-end golf club, the manufacturer must use a series of expensive materials with a sophisticated design process. For example, Honma's BERES Five Star collection is meticulously crafted down to every detail.

Each club is finished with precious metals such as 24-carat gold and platinum, along with advanced manufacturing processes and proprietary shaft technology.

Golf clubs become expensive because of their exclusive designs and the modern technology behind them (Photo: Honma Golf).

The production process of this type of club is also completely separate from mass production on the market. Each club before being delivered to customers is carefully measured by artisans, undergoes hundreds of hours of testing and fine-tuning every small detail to achieve absolute precision.

A major factor driving up the price of premium golf clubs is the race for technology and design innovation. These improvements include the use of advanced materials such as graphite, aerospace-grade titanium alloys, and tungsten to optimize weight and performance.

The custom fitting process is often performed using state-of-the-art equipment such as launch monitors under the supervision of specialized technicians. This results in each club being tailored to a specific swing style, further enhancing its value.

Golf becomes "fertile land" for the fashion world

Fashion giants such as Louis Vuitton, Dior, Gucci... are trying to attract young golfers with a series of exclusive designs dedicated to this sport.

According to Esquire magazine, golf is gradually following the path that tennis once paved in becoming a sport of special interest to the luxury fashion world.

The fashion industry is "on edge" with golf (Photo: Louis Vuitton).

Nowadays, more and more famous stars are participating in this elite sport. Brands also do not hesitate to spend tens of billions of dong to cooperate with fashion influencers to promote their products.

Many artists have become loyal fans of golf, such as DJ Khaled who shared pictures of himself with his Louis Vuitton golf accessories on his personal page, and singer Justin Bieber who has also been regularly playing golf in recent years.

There's no denying that golf is experiencing a strong revival, marking the intersection of luxury fashion and modern lifestyle.

Source: https://dantri.com.vn/giai-tri/vi-sao-golf-duoc-coi-la-mon-the-thao-dat-do-nhat-the-gioi-20251114210000879.htm