Gen Z wants to play golf – and now there’s the perfect way to avoid same old obstacles

Golf has sometimes suffered from a reputation as an exclusive, pricey pursuit among young people.

But it would appear that a significant generational shift is starting to take place.

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Research shows Gen Z adults in the UK are looking to take that first step onto the fairways, which can feel daunting and intimidating.

However, a new wave of modern, accessible shopping is removing the two biggest obstacles: knowing what to buy and how to afford it.

In a new survey conducted by Censuswide, more than two in five (42 per cent of) adults between 18 and 29 said their interest in playing golf has increased over the past five years.

The problem is aspiring players have hit a roadblock before even reaching the first tee.

Over half (55 per cent) of those prospective weekend hackers admit they have delayed taking up the sport due to the steep upfront price of the gear.

Rather than walking away, modern beginners are looking for smarter, more sustainable entry points.

Marketplace data from eBay shows a massive appetite for second-hand gear, with searches for ‘pre-owned golf club sets’ soaring by 96 per cent year-on-year, alongside a 43 per cent jump in searches for general ‘pre-owned golf clubs’.

After all, if a driver was top-of-the-range in 2022, it is hardly going to be ineffective four years later.

Yet, budget is only half the battle. For newcomers, navigating drivers, irons, wedges, and putters can feel overwhelming if you have no idea what they do. OK, the putter is pretty self-explanatory.

But two-thirds (66 per cent) of wannabe golfers say they would find live shopping useful when purchasing kit, with 36 per cent seeking tailored advice on beginner essentials and 26 per cent wanting to see clubs demonstrated live before pulling the trigger.

Usually, this experience would cost a pretty penny at one of the big golf retailers, and how is a novice supposed to know whether they really need to spend four figures on these very specific irons?

Enter eBay Live, which gave talkSPORT.com a behind-the-scenes look at one of their sessions direct from the prestigious BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this week.

Partnering with GolfClubs4Cash – Europe’s largest retailer of used golf equipment – and other expert sellers, eBay Live brings interactive stream shopping straight to fans’ screens.

Viewers can inspect pre-loved gear up close, watch live product demonstrations, and chat directly with experts to get personalised recommendations in real time.

According to Murray Winton, co-founder of GolfClubs4Cash, this helps to bridge that gap between curiosity and confidence.

Speaking after conducting one of the live streams at Wentworth, Winton told talkSPORT.com: “A lot of the time, people will just say, ‘A driver for a high handicapper?’

“So then it’s up to us to find a driver for a higher handicapper that we can auction next on our ‘Live’. We interact a lot with customers on eBay through messaging and on ‘Live’. It is important to listen to what customers are looking for.

“We find we get a lot of feedback and a lot of questions about future products that we can potentially list in future ‘Lives’.

“For example, today we’ve had a little bit of feedback. We’re doing a ‘Live’ again this afternoon and we’re going to bring in some of the clubs that the customers have been looking for.”

He added: “Golf equipment can be exceptionally expensive. If you’re buying it new, you can be expecting to pay £3.5k to £4k for a full set of clubs if you’re wanting to get started with the latest.

“We’ve got equipment from 25-years ago, equipment from this year,
but most importantly, 99 per cent of it is second hand and we find that offering customers a used product is going to give them enhanced value.

“It’s going to give them an opportunity to get into the game or upgrade their equipment at a much reduced cost.”

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The strategy of buying pre-loved isn’t just for newcomers trying to save a penny: it’s a proven route to high performance – and not just among beginners.

In 2019, Tommy Fleetwood‘s caddie famously bought a second-hand Odyssey putter on eBay for just £90 – which the Ryder Cup star used to card a brilliant opening-round 65 at the European Masters.

There is then the sustainability factor: recycling perfectly-usable equipment to ensure it does not end up in landfill.

And eBay Live GM Sholto Mee believes the platform also creates a unique sense of community, allowing buyers and sellers to support each other and interact.

He told talkSPORT.com: “We did a stream last year with Michael Owen. He was signing shirts from some of his clubs and some England shirts. The auction started at £1.

“It really struck home to me the difference that live streaming commerce can create in terms of community.

“Questions were coming in on the chat and the seller was reading the questions to Michael, and Michael was then responding to them.

“So it turned from a live stream shirt signing auction to more like a live stream shirt signing auction podcast.

“One of the buyers was like, ‘I only came here to buy an electronic item, and now I’m in a conversation with my idol!'”

Check out eBay Live and GolfClubs4Cash in the fan village at the BMW PGA Championship at Wentworth this weekend!