2 May 2016 Last updated at 01:22 BST
But in South Korea, the government is trying to make it more affordable.
The aim is not to create a generation of new champions.
Rather, by encouraging more people to play the game, the government is hoping to boost spending in a sluggish economy.
Sarah Toms looks at whether the plan will work.
Golf is a sport many people would describe as elitist - and certainly expensive.