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A new menace is making rounds of golf more expensive at key courses throughout the country.
As if golf wasn't pricy enough, paying for parking has become a sore subject for golfers at prominent and popular courses in big cities across America.
When GolfPass (then known as Golf Advisor) first reported in 2018 that Memorial Park - the popular Houston muni that now hosts The Houston Open - was going to add metered parking at the golf course, it was one of the most clicked-on and commented-on stories of the year.
The pushback from local golfers was immense, but to no avail. The city instituted parking meters at the clubhouse lot anyway in 2019. This story notes there are still free lots near the golf course.
Now, that battle has migrated west to California. The Presidio, a popular course located inside a national park in San Francisco near the Golden Gate Bridge, has instituted parking meters at its clubhouse lot.
Many golf courses within the New York City Department of Parks & Recreation system also charge a $3 parking fee, according to its website. These include Clearview Park Golf Course, Douglaston Golf Course, Dyker Beach Golf Course, Forest Park Golf Course, Kissena Golf Course, LaTourette Golf Course, Marine Park Golf Course, Pelham/Split Rock Golf Course, Silver Lake Golf Course, South Shore Golf Course and Van Cortlandt Park Golf Course.
What do these facilities from New York to Texas to California have in common? They are located inside popular parks in large cities that share recreational space with the everyday public. Everybody wants a prime parking spot. With park budgets struggling, pay-parking has become a valuable revenue stream for upkeep and services. Golfers find themselves caught in the middle.
Parking at the Presidio Golf Course
The Presidio Trust, a federal institution that owns the park and its golf course, instituted paid meter parking at the golf course last fall.
I first got wind of the reaction from golfers in a Facebook group called Bay Area Golfers. Multiple posts have complained about the new parking policy. Parking fees Monday through Thursday cost $2.50 per hour or $12.50 per day and $3 per hour or $15 per day on weekends.
"One of the reasons why I haven’t played this course since they implemented this," noted a local golfer on Facebook.
Other golfers told the San Francisco Chronicle they couldn't hang out at the clubhouse or visit for a meal anymore because of the extra fees.
The course's website shares this message with golfers: "Parking fees help sustain the Presidio as a national park for all – thank you!"
New, higher green fees were just implemented as well on April 1, adding more wallet frustration. Green fees for non-residents are $135 on weekdays and $150 for weekends for golfers taking a cart. City residents pay $110 during the week and $120 on Friday through Sunday.
I feel for the local golfers who have called Presidio home for years. During busy times, I'm at my local muni at least twice a week, and I'd hate to have to pony up for parking. It seems like course owners and operators who add metered parking in course lots are taking advantage of golfers. They know the golfer will be there for at least five hours. Golfers are the ones who are getting charged more than they should, compared to hikers (who can walk into the park) or cyclists (who can ride in).
I will add that if you're visiting San Francisco, though, don't let the parking fee deter you. The Presidio is one of the most beautiful spots in San Francisco. Even at 6,481 yards, the golf course is one tough hombre. The hilly terrain allows for few flat lies, making it tough to walk and even tougher to play to your handicap.
Combining Presidio's green fees with parking costs, it's still much cheaper than playing TPC Harding Park, while offering a similar high-end experience (just without the championship pedigree).
Parking in a big city or at a popular public park is always a pain. By adding a good golf course into the mix, parking becomes an even bigger problem for everyone. It's too bad the golfers are the ones who are getting nickel and dimed the most.
Would you boycott your local golf course if you had to pay to park? Let us know in the comments below.
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