Astonishing green fee of the week award

[Golfnut1957]

Dont really have a problem with it.

It may not be up there for many, but It's a club that has hosted a Ryder Cup (albeit not on the courses quoted) and whilst £70 is a lot - plenty of courses ive seen in Scotland are charging similar rates for similar courses.

Id never book a single tee time at a place like Celtic Manor though, would always be a weekend package, its simply awful value for money otherwise.

I have spent some of the lockdown planning Septembers trip. I mostly use Golfshake to identify areas/courses and then visit club websites to get a flavour of the price. I have been astounded at how visitors prices have rocketed this year, having looked at clubs that we have visited previously and comparing today's price with what we paid previously.

In years gone by I booked well in advance but this year it may be a case of waiting and utilising Golf Now or such.

 

[IanM]

I bet loads of people see £90 for Celtic Manor and pull the trigger straight away thinking they have a good deal. It's only when they get there they realise they are not playing the ryder cup course. I bet some people even play the Monty / Roman Road and believe they played the Ryder Cup course

I hope not, but you never know, but they do make it pretty clear online which course you are booking...

FYI - The 2010 Course is £166 in May (£187 Friday and weekends) Just for comparison Porthcawl is £150... lots in South Wales, but please don't tell the Yanks were are down here or it will double

 

[Voyager EMH]

I have spent some of the lockdown planning Septembers trip. I mostly use Golfshake to identify areas/courses and then visit club websites to get a flavour of the price. I have been astounded at how visitors prices have rocketed this year, having looked at clubs that we have visited previously and comparing today's price with what we paid previously.

In years gone by I booked well in advance but this year it may be a case of waiting and utilising Golf Now or such.

A year ago group at our club were looking to book a day out not too far from home. We were offered Greetham Valley 36 holes, brecky, lunch, evening meal and everyone in buggies for £75 a head. Loads rushed to put deposits down. I declined as “not value for money.” Did not happen in the end, because of Covid restrictions.

It really does depend on each individual’s perception of value. As for the courses mentioned so far, if a member of Seaton Carew were to invite me at a guest rate of £35 for the day (unlimited rounds) midweek I would snatch their arm off. I think I would offer them unlimited beer in the bar for the day! Don’t know what the prices are in reality. I would probably say something similar for Ganton, not too far away.

Here in the Midlands, if you can get a group booking for Forest of Arden, 18 on each course with an overnight in between and including meals at a price you consider reasonable, go for it. Much better than the Belfry, although still pretty good courses, in my view.

In Leicestershire there are three great courses close together, not far off M1, nearest town Loughborough. Ordinary club prices for green fees/societies. Loncliffe, Lingdale and Charnwood Forest. Check em out! Arrange your own accommodation in Travelodge or similar and play all three courses over a few days. Charnwood is the oldest course in Leicestershire and the best 9-holer in England, in my view. Different tees for each nine so it has an 18 hole card. One hole is par 4 or par 5 depending on which 9 holes. Quite a tough challenge and no bunkers. Newbies get asked after their round if they noticed the lack of sand. There are enough other features to worry about.

Best offers I’ve seen on the web are group or society bookings at Barnsley Municipal. I have a HI of 4.3 but I am not a golfing snob.

 

[Imurg]

Often you can go online and pay £29 ....which in the summer is about right, in the Winter it is approx £28.72 too much!

Fair enough..
I was at the 2010 RC on the "wet" day so I know how bad it can get..

 

[IanM]

The £29 is Monty and Roman... they still charge £81 in April for The 2010.

 

[sunshine]

Fair enough..
I was at the 2010 RC on the "wet" day so I know how bad it can get..

It looked like Glastonbury!

 

[Imurg]

I can vouch for that ?

I was there on a practice day then the Saturday(?) when they played catch-up and sent the 4 balls out whilst the 4 somes were still playing.

Course was OK but the surrounds were an absolute squelching mudbath...

It got towards mid afternoon on the Friday and we were wetter than you can imagine.
Walking out to one of the holes they were going to play on the restart there was a 6 inch deep puddle on one of the paths...didn't bother going around it, went through it. Couldn't have made things wetter.....if it hadn't been the RC they wouldn't have played at all that day.

 

[Crazyface]

I have spent some of the lockdown planning Septembers trip. I mostly use Golfshake to identify areas/courses and then visit club websites to get a flavour of the price. I have been astounded at how visitors prices have rocketed this year, having looked at clubs that we have visited previously and comparing today's price with what we paid previously.

In years gone by I booked well in advance but this year it may be a case of waiting and utilising Golf Now or such.

Exactly what I do.

 

[Bdill93]

Brabazon @ The Belfry is £95...

 

[Neilds]

I can vouch for that ?

I was there on a practice day then the Saturday(?) when they played catch-up and sent the 4 balls out whilst the 4 somes were still playing.

Course was OK but the surrounds were an absolute squelching mudbath...

Anywhere where you have a few thousand people tramping about on a wet day is going to suffer, however good the drainage.

 

[Imurg]

Ah...memories

 

[Ethan]

Brabazon @ The Belfry is £95...

No thanks. They'd have to pay me more than that to play it.

 

[IanM]

I was at the 2010 RC on the Friday and Monday... we wore wellies on Monday!

£95 for the Brabazon is taking the mickey! Its a decent £50 course. Just! But I expect some bump up in prices this summer when places are short of revenue and folk are desperate to play.

 

[sunshine]

Brabazon @ The Belfry is £95...

Late March - the Belfry will be boggy and still on winter rules. OK to play a premium links course at this time of year, but a parkland with a reputation for being wet, on the back of an incredibly rainy spell lasting several months... let me think about that

 

[Deleted member 21258]

Brabazon I quite liked and is much better than a £50 course. The upkeep of it when I played it was fantastic(summertime iirc).

Better than a number of courses in GM top 100 IMHO

 

[Billysboots]

Having played both the Roman Road and Montgomerie I agree with anyone who says there are better courses available for a fraction of the price. Both instantly forgettable I’m afraid.

 

[Sats]

Having played both the Roman Road and Montgomerie I agree with anyone who says there are better courses available for a fraction of the price. Both instantly forgettable I’m afraid.

That's a shame I was going to consider Celtic Manor for a trip.

 

[Pants]

Played the Brabazon twice in a fortnight 20 years ago (corporate freebies) and to be honest, on reflection, I wouldn't pay more than £40 for a round there. Seemed to me to be no better than a converted potato field with some water and sand put in (much like so many other courses of that era).

I don't really get this attitude of "must play xyz course as it hosted the Ryder Cup/The Open/whatever". None of us would be playing the same course - off the same tees, course prepared as the event, same pin positions. I'm walking in Tiger's/Arnie's/Jack's footsteps - and??

 

[IanM]

That's a shame I was going to consider Celtic Manor for a trip.

Plenty of better trips to be had in Wales

 

[Bdill93]

Plenty of better trips to be had to Wales

Any suggestions for two courses and a night stay?

Had a mate have to cancel his stag to amsterdam in May and we're looking at doing a golf weekend for a small group - Celtic Manor was up there!