My buddy Tim called golf “the expensive sport” last summer. He said it while buying his third $14 beer at an NFL game. I let it go – mostly because he was paying for mine too – but the comment stuck with me. Was he right?
I didn’t think so. But I wanted to prove it with actual numbers.
So I dug in. National Golf Foundation reports, concert ticket data, NFL cost analyses, streaming price histories. The full picture. And what came back surprised even me – golf isn’t just holding its own against other entertainment options. In a lot of ways, it’s winning.
Here’s the breakdown.
The Scoreboard: Price Increases Since 2019
Before we get into specifics, here’s how much more you’re paying today compared to 2019 across the most popular ways Americans spend their free time:
| Entertainment | Price Increase (2019-2025) |
|---|---|
| Disney+ (ad-free) | ~172% ($6.99 to $18.99/mo) |
| Concert tickets (Top 100 tours) | ~45% ($96 to ~$144/avg) |
| NFL game (total per-person cost) | ~40% (tickets + food + parking) |
| Netflix (standard ad-free) | ~38% ($13 to $17.99/mo) |
| Public golf green fees | ~29% (avg now ~$41/round) |
| Movie tickets | ~23% (national avg now ~$16) |
| Gym memberships | ~12% ($52 to $58/mo avg) |
| General inflation (CPI) | ~27% |
Read that again. Golf green fees have risen almost exactly in line with inflation. Meanwhile, concerts, NFL games, and streaming services have all blown past it – some by a wide margin.
Concerts: The Biggest Sticker Shock in Entertainment
If you’ve tried to buy concert tickets lately, you already know this feeling. You find the show, click through, and then sit there staring at the screen wondering if you misread the price. You didn’t.
According to TicketHold’s market analysis, the average concert ticket in 2025 hit roughly $144 – up about 45% from $96 in 2019. And that’s before service fees, which routinely tack on another 20-32% to the base price. You’re easily looking at $150 to $175 for a single night out.
For a couple? Two decent concert tickets can cost you more than a month of golf rounds. Worth keeping that in mind.
The NFL: A $150+ Per-Person Afternoon
Football Sundays have gotten expensive in a hurry. FinanceBuzz tracked the per-person cost of attending an NFL game – one ticket, one beer, one hot dog, half the parking – and found it now averages $158 across the league. That’s up roughly 40% over the past decade.
And that’s the average. If you’re a Cowboys fan, you’re looking at an average ticket price alone of $225. NFL Draft Diamonds found that the average NFL ticket has gone from around $85 in 2015 to $151 in 2025 – a 78% jump that leaves general inflation in the dust.
A family of four? Once you factor in tickets, parking, a couple of beers, hot dogs, and the inevitable $40 jersey the kid absolutely has to have – you’re well north of $600 before you leave the parking lot. Some stadiums, you’re looking at $1,000+. That’s not an exaggeration.
Compare that to a round of golf. Four-plus hours outside, fresh air, actual exercise, and you can bring your own snacks.
Streaming: Death by a Thousand Paper Cuts
Streaming was supposed to rescue us from expensive cable bills. So far, so… not great.
Netflix’s standard ad-free plan has gone from $13 to $17.99 since 2019 – a 38% increase. Disney+ launched at a friendly $6.99 back in 2019 and now runs $18.99 for the ad-free version – a 172% jump in six years. Add in Max, Peacock, Apple TV+, and whatever else you’ve quietly subscribed to, and the average U.S. household now spends about $69 per month across four streaming services.
That’s $828 a year. To sit on your couch.
A TeeTime Golf Pass costs a fraction of that – and gets you outside, moving, and saving money on every round all season long.
Movies: Cheaper, But You’re Still Sitting Inside
Of everything on this list, movies have had the most modest price increases – but the real-world cost is higher than most people realize. The national average ticket is now $16.08, but if you’re taking someone with you and grabbing popcorn and drinks, CableTV puts the average at $42.66 – and that’s before you hit a premium format or a high-cost market. In that case, a movie date is closer to $60.
Still, movies come out looking relatively reasonable next to concerts and NFL games. But here’s the thing – a movie gives you two hours. A round of golf gives you four to five. Per hour of actual entertainment, it’s not close.
So Where Does Golf Actually Land?
Right in the sweet spot.
The National Golf Foundation’s April 2026 report puts public green fee increases at about 29% since 2019 – nearly identical to the 27% cumulative rise in inflation over the same period. Golf has kept pace with the cost of living. That’s more than you can say for almost everything else on this list.
The average 18-hole green fee at a public or daily-fee course is now around $41. Four-plus hours outside with friends, real exercise, a genuine mental challenge, and something to talk about at the 19th hole. Dollar for dollar, hour for hour, it holds up against anything.
And if you’re playing with a TeeTime Golf Pass? You’re paying less than that $41 average on every single round – which means you’re not just keeping pace with inflation. You’re actually beating it.
The Bottom Line
Tim still thinks golf is the expensive sport. But he’s also renewed his NFL Sunday Ticket, paying for three streaming services he barely watches, and went to two concerts last summer.
The numbers don’t lie. Golf – especially golf with a discount pass – is one of the smartest ways to spend your entertainment dollar in 2026. The next time someone calls it too expensive, show them the scoreboard.
Then show them the first tee.
Play More Golf.
Sources
- National Golf Foundation – “The Truth About Golf’s Rising Green Fees” (April 2026)
- TicketHold – “Ticket Prices Soar in Major Cities” (May 2025)
- SimpleBeen – “What’s the Average Price of a Concert Ticket?” (May 2025)
- FinanceBuzz – “NFL Inflation: Tracking Ticket, Beer, and Concessions Prices” (Jan 2026)
- NFL Draft Diamonds – “The Real Cost of Game Day” (Sept 2025)
- Fortune – “Netflix Streaming Price Increases: Historical Five Years” (Jan 2025)
- Nerdist – “Every Streaming Cost Increase in 2025” (2025)
- Tom’s Guide – “What Streaming Costs in 2026” (March 2026)
- CableTV.com – “How Much Does a Movie Ticket Cost in 2025?” (April 2025)
- GoodRx – “What Is the Average Cost of a Gym Membership?” (June 2025)
