Inflation of Greens Fees for the Top UK Courses

[Deleted member 3432]

should have booked a time then stopped off on the way and rummaged though some bins in Fife and found a bill

He gave Archerfield a bell and got a decent deal. He's played there a few times and says they have always been flexible on green fee's.

Although I do like the sound of your idea

 

[KenL]

Here is CS.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Maybe I'll borrow the IV postcode I'll be staying at when visiting my cousins in Fortrose later this year (all being well).

More seriously - could my cousin book me on with him at the locals rate?

 

[patricks148]

Here is CS.
View attachment 34962

oosh stuck it up andother £20, still £60 for a 4 ball ....cheeky buggers were begging locals to play it last year all over SM saying they should support the course... mind you the £20 isn't drop in the ocean com to how much they are losing every year £1M plus

 

[patricks148]

Maybe I'll borrow the IV postcode I'll be staying at when visiting my cousins in Fortrose later this year (all being well).

More seriously - could my cousin book me on with him at the locals rate?

might work, but i think they check sometimes and would expect 4 postcodes for a 4 ball

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

might work, but i think they check sometimes and would expect 4 postcodes for a 4 ball

Well - I could use my aunt's IV postcode as she lives round the corner from one of my cousins. In fact I have three cousins and an aunt all with separate IV postcodes

But seems like your point is that CS would expect all players looking for the 'local' rate to be locals...not just one of a pair or 4ball

 

[jim8flog]

Top clubs don't participate in the county card scheme because the scheme is based on reciprocity. There's no benefit to the members to let in people from the local muni on the county card scheme for cheap. Those members probably have no desire to go and play the local goat track in return. They probably have bi-lateral reciprocal arrangements negotiated with one or two other top clubs.

That is what happened in Dorset 30+ years ago . Back then clubs like Ferndown, Parkstone and Broadstone were on the card but when the card started to have the 9 hole and newly built 'on the wrong type of land' courses on it the former took their names off it.

 

[patricks148]

Well - I could use my aunt's IV postcode as she lives round the corner from one of my cousins. In fact I have three cousins and an aunt all with separate IV postcodes

But seems like your point is that CS would expect all players looking for the 'local' rate to be locals...not just one of a pair or 4ball

Yes, all of them, had a mate that worked there and they used to stop 3 locals with a guest playing together..
a local 4 ball is all locals not just one

 

[Deleted Member 1156]

That is what happened in Dorset 30+ years ago . Back then clubs like Ferndown, Parkstone and Broadstone were on the card but when the card started to have the 9 hole and newly built 'on the wrong type of land' courses on it the former took their names off it.

Broadstone is on the county card scheme.

 

[jim8flog]

Broadstone is on the county card scheme.

There was a time when you bought the county card for £25 and then played every course on it for free. Now it is half green fee they probably think it is worth it.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

Yes, all of them, had a mate that worked there and they used to stop 3 locals with a guest playing together..
a local 4 ball is all locals not just one

Dash it all - but expected...I'll just have to play Muir of Ord (where one of my cousins play) and Fortrose and Rosemarkie (half mile from another cousin). And they look to be my sort of clubs.

 

[evemccc]

There’s a municipal near me which has a membership but mostly is a green-fee type of place...Played it for £13 last May. It shot-up to £

Dash it all - but expected...I'll just have to play Muir of Ord (where one of my cousins play) and Fortrose and Rosemarkie (half mile from another cousin). And they look to be my sort of clubs.

Fortrose is proper links golf

 

[Crazyface]

My mate fancied a day trip to play Dumbarmie during the summer at short notice.

He had a look to see there were loads of tee times available so gave them a ring so see if they would do a deal. Full whack, take it or leave it. He left it...

He would have happily paid the Scottish rate, not the American rate.

DumBARMY if you ask me. Sorry.

 

[Liverbirdie]

I've got a feeling there is something written into the planning or the like to allow locals at a reduced rate on these newer courses??

Just as well what would the new one or castle stuart done last year... even bigger losses

Well done to the ones who either insisted on this, or offered this.

Have they started the next developments at Castle Stuart, be it the 2nd course or the surrounding housing?

 

[Liverbirdie]

Is somewhere like Birkdale or Muirfield or Sunningdale part (or even golf) part of the nations fabric. I am far from convinced of that, at a guess if you went back 75-100 years, these clubs were probably exclusive clubs ? (that the like of you or me(edit), would not have been able to play at, unless you knew someone. I could be wrong, I am guessing tbh)

I would probably say the members are like the season ticket holders/bond holders to football. And they are getting a cheap deal(as such).

The green fee visitors are people who are just using the business, just like walking into a corner shop and buying some sweeties. I think the difference is perhaps the way we look at business and what you/I think are clubs for the public benefit(so the local council run course should be run for the public benefit and priced cheaply. In my eyes Golf clubs should normally be run as a business for the benefit of the owners[who could be members or shareholders / propriety depending on setup].

Running a golf club/course nowadays costs vastly more than yesterday as peoples expectations are higher now and costs have risen massively, so green fees and/or membership fees have to be much higher. Visiting placing like Muirfield and the like and paying full fees, certainly changes your outlook, expectations and you can see at most places the money that is spent .

I'm 100% agreeing with you that green fees are far to high at these clubs and could be probably 25%-40% cheaper from a business point of view.

Sadly it either down to people not visiting/paying the money or down to an organisation like England Golf to push harder for deals to be done, luckily no one is force to pay that amount or play the course.

Blimely that turned into a bit of a ramble, sorry

Just one question - do you think staff wages, course maintenance, machinery etc is in line with the inflation of the green fees, or even close?

I very much doubt it.

 

[Liverbirdie]

Are CS and KB still doing Scottish rates?

KB definitely, and CS were up to a few years ago.

CS also used to have a Scottish rate, which about 6 years ago was £75, compared to the normal rate which was £175.

 

[Liverbirdie]

I'm not sure that someone for Liverpool has any more connection or influence on the heritage and development of the Old Course or my local courses than someone from California.

100% up for cut rates for locals (residents of the town/local area where the course is) - not at all for tourists, including people on trips from other parts of the UK

So they must have built them railways to links courses for no apparent reasons then??????

People from the NW of England would have helped to develop Birkdale, Royal LIVERPOOL and Royal Lytham, same with Londoners for RSG, RCP and Princes, but also aided and abetted with other golfers from all over the Uk. The same with the Ayrshire, Lothian, Angus and Fife courses. Who would have been staying in the hotels of St. Andrews up until the 1970's in the main - British people, I would have thought. So yes, I think British people and the open have built up St. Andrews to what it is. Lots of American players didnt bother their arse to come over for the Open until, was it Arnie who made it become more fashionable?

 

[Liverbirdie]

Here is CS.
View attachment 34962

Great, so these businesses can operate this way, just to a GB and I rate, and I think this would be ideal.

 

[evemccc]

So they must have built them railways to links courses for no apparent reasons then??????

People from the NW of England would have helped to develop Birkdale, Royal LIVERPOOL and Royal Lytham, same with Londoners for RSG, RCP and Princes, but also aided and abetted with other golfers from all over the Uk. The same with the Ayrshire, Lothian, Angus and Fife courses. Who would have been staying in the hotels of St. Andrews up until the 1970's in the main - British people, I would have thought. So yes, I think British people and the open have built up St. Andrews to what it is. Lots of American players didnt bother their arse to come over for the Open until, was it Arnie who made it become more fashionable?[/QUOTE


Agree 100%

 

[davidy233]

So they must have built them railways to links courses for no apparent reasons then??????

People from the NW of England would have helped to develop Birkdale, Royal LIVERPOOL and Royal Lytham, same with Londoners for RSG, RCP and Princes, but also aided and abetted with other golfers from all over the Uk. The same with the Ayrshire, Lothian, Angus and Fife courses. Who would have been staying in the hotels of St. Andrews up until the 1970's in the main - British people, I would have thought. So yes, I think British people and the open have built up St. Andrews to what it is. Lots of American players didnt bother their arse to come over for the Open until, was it Arnie who made it become more fashionable?

If you ain't local then you're a tourist