GM top 120 courses - how many have you played?

[RGuk]

Like I have been saying, in a roundabout way, things are getting a little crazy with green fees. I think, as with all things these days, the value of anything (service, product etc.) is more about what people are "prepared" to pay, other than what makes sense.

I had to sort a tax issue out and went to visit a guy who said he would do it at £150 per hour. I politely replied that as I'd studied 3 more years than him and had a doctorate, I would rather struggle with it myself than pay 3 or 4 times my own rate for his services.

I don't blame golf clubs for charging what they can get away with, and the staff/managers/shareholders of superb courses deserve the financial reward for hard work etc. etc. OF COURSE.
I also think the corporate market is well worth tapping, the big firms that make mega-bucks on the back of ordinary folk ought to spend some of the exorbitant profits on rewarding their workers, sure, most of them deserve it. My bro is a lawyer, his company pay him £30 p/h and bill the clients at £200 p/h, I think he deserves a few posh days out.

OK, rant done.

BUT, the bottom line is ordinary players of modest means are losing out on the heritage and history of our great courses (and getting to play them) because the green fees are way out there.
My solution would be to challenge some clubs to offer a few tee times, off peak, to real club golfers at a sensible price. I can't see how they could lose out (it would we a win-win), because you can bet your life the full paying societies/corporate groups won't be playing at 7.38 am or 4.46 pm. It'll never happen though.

To think, my bro/dad/sis-in-law have all played the great courses like Walton Heath, Sunningdale, Belfry, Wildwood(?), East Sussex, blah, blah, and they don't even play golf....
HOW SAD IS THAT?
It's true, really, and no-one wants to talk about it.
When was the last time a golf mag told both sides of the story...never...they can't afford to voice an opinion because the readership are their careers and wage packets.

Dave

 

[USER1999]

Very well put.

It does annoy me really that the green fees are so high. I have had this discussion with Greenkeeper and he says the maintainance of courses here costs so much more than in Florida (but 4 or 5 times more?), but golf over there on the best courses is so cheap compared to here. For a yank to play Wentworth over here must seem extortionate.

Thing is, a course (like the Grove near me), is very well maintained, manicured if you like, but no one ever plays on it, so how much work needs to be done? £150 per round is not good value, or even attainable for me, and even as an expensive present, I would struggle to find any of my friends who would play with me.

I would like to see something like a residents card, so if you live within the catchment area of a course then you should get discounted green fees. It is crazy that you can live within 20 miles (50 yards in my case) of a top golf course, but are nearer to walking on the moon than playing it.

In germany, you get dicounted tickets to museums etc if you are resident.

In Florida you can buy a summer card if you are a resident that gives you a heavy discount on green fees.

I think that golf as a sport needs to promote itself such that it continues to expand. If the cost of all the courses you see on telly continues to rise, how is this promoting the sport. Obviously we would all like to play some of the top 120 courses, bt they are mostly well out of range.

Woodhall Spa so far for me has been the exception.

As an aside, I once played round The Buckninghamshire behind a 4 ball of corporate Japanese. 2 guys who had never seen a golf course, and 2 secretaries who had never seen a golf club before. I cut out a hole to get past them, but apparently they were out there for seven hours. Is this the sort of golfer they want? Having paid quite a lot to play, I was not exactly happy, or keen to go back.

 

[thecraw]

Turnberry
Kingsbarns
Carnoustie
Loch Lomond
Royal Portrush
Mchrihanish
Western Gailes
Prestwick
Blairgowrie
Ballyliffen
Machrie
St Andrews Bay
Gleneagles (PGA)
The Belfry


Only 14, but as above some green fees absolutely disgust me.

 

[John_Findlay]

Green fees for top courses are becoming ridiculous.

Just been checking out the Ballybunion website to see how much they charge now. £190 for a day ticket allowing you to play both courses. That would be £1330 for a weekly ticket.

When I spent a week there in 1989 they charged me £100 for a weekly ticket........ so their prices have increased by a factor of 13. A Life Membership cost £1200 in those days.

Wow. Do they know how to fleece the tourists now!