Golf courses across the nation are in crisis as memberships and money dwindle
businessweek.com
businessweek.com
BTW, I'm not necessarily opposed to subsidies, there can be good reasons to do this.
Everything you earn is taxable, except <long list of exceptions>.
Nothing is deductible, except <long list of exceptions>.
When you add to either of those lists of exceptions, you're increasing the overall tax rate for people who can't take advantage of those exceptions.
Assuming that the government provides some value to society, doesn't this seem like other people are paying their share to maintain the national infrastructure more than I am?
Is this not a subsidy?
Your interpretation of what a subsidy is is also subject to the vagaries of where you choose to set the baseline for the funding to which the government is entitled. Is everything less than that a subsidy?
Also, in this case in particular, I'd guess that the people taking advantage of the tax break for golf club membership are above whatever baseline you would set.
However, if you believe the government does provide value, any baseline would equalize your income with everyone else in the population, thus not really decreasing the buying power of the money you earn.
The only part where this would not be the case is if the rulers kept most of the money to themselves (a monarchy) or to a select group (unfortunately happening with Goldman Sachs recently.).Then value of your money would truly be unfairly decreased.
Still, I defer to George Carlin on my opinion about what we should do with golf courses: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7C7c-nZIyfc
Since the 60's, the Mayfield Country Club has offered curling -- I think I was told it's the only "dedicated" (not a hockey rink) curling ice in Ohio. I note this purely for amusement. And, yes, I curled there once (the only time I have ever curled).