What's the best value course here (if any)?

[evemccc]

What, you want me to be "that guy"? ?
St George's Hill
Old
New

All are stunning, but of the three, the only one I would really want to play every week is St George's Hill. It's a special, magical place for me.

At what point can I get extremely jealous?!?

 

[KenL]

What, you want me to be "that guy"? ?
St George's Hill
Old
New

All are stunning, but of the three, the only one I would really want to play every week is St George's Hill. It's a special, magical place for me.

Nice rockery. Is the golf course any good? ?

 

[Albo]

I have played a number of these and agree they are outrageously expensive but I have to say with the right people and right mindset I have had a great time at all of them.
I didn’t play the book price for all of them but did for some.
I loved Muirfield most out of all of them, played the same day the Scottish open was on this year on the Thursday afternoon when the wind was up (the Renaissance is right next door), it was a great experience to play a championship course at exactly the same time in exactly the same weather as the touring pros within a few 100 yards of where they were playing. For me, that experience was worth the money and gets my vote for best value as a result.

 

[Bratty]

Nice rockery. Is the golf course any good? ?

It's not bad...

 

[Aztecs27]

I am lucky enough to have Sunningdale subsidised with a work do evey year: 36 holes, bacon rolls, 3 course carvery and sandwiches and cakes afterwards for £140. Same deal at St. George's Hill too.
Sorry.
As for the courses on that list, and the costs, I don't think any are best value, but experience would be amazing. It depends how much money you want to spend for an experience.
I will be blowing A LOT on golf courses for my 50th year though!

what is it you do for work again? Just checking if I can somehow bribe you into a +1 invite ??

 

[Bratty]

what is it you do for work again? Just checking if I can somehow bribe you into a +1 invite ??

??
I work for a large, multinational that rapes and plunders the natural world.
Sadly, I am unable to take bribes as it would breach our code of conduct.
And there's never any spaces for guests, I'm afraid. Sells out in two days every year!

 

[RRidges]

The 10 most expensive peak green fees in the UK..

As much as I'd love to play Co Down I'm not sure I could part with £300 for the privilege



View attachment 43618

None of the above!
That said, I've played 5 of them, 3 of them multiple times, but not at those prices!

 

[JonnyGutteridge]

I played Royal County Down in April. It was £165 and I gave the caddy £100. I paid £75 to take my clubs, £10 on insurance and I spent £275 in the pro shop.

It was worth every single penny.

 

[Aztecs27]

??
I work for a large, multinational that rapes and plunders the natural world.
Sadly, I am unable to take bribes as it would breach our code of conduct.
And there's never any spaces for guests, I'm afraid. Sells out in two days every year!

Well, that’s most inconvenient.

 

[Smiffy]

I missed out on the Sunningdale trip a couple of years ago, so the missus said that I could treat myself to a day there as "reward" for packing up smoking.
I've just checked....£500.00 for the day.
No thanks Love.

 

[Oddsocks]

I am lucky enough to have Sunningdale subsidised with a work do evey year: 36 holes, bacon rolls, 3 course carvery and sandwiches and cakes afterwards for £140. Same deal at St. George's Hill too.
Sorry.
As for the courses on that list, and the costs, I don't think any are best value, but experience would be amazing. It depends how much money you want to spend for an experience.
I did blow A LOT on golf courses for my 50th year though!

Fixed. ?

 

[evemccc]

I played Royal County Down in April. It was £165 and I gave the caddy £100. I paid £75 to take my clubs, £10 on insurance and I spent £275 in the pro shop.

It was worth every single penny.

Looks superb!

My questions are: 1) would you recommend April, how was course condition, greens etc, do you think you could get away with playing it in March at a similar condition?

2) Were caddies mandatory? Did they add a lot? Did they make you go lower than otherwise?

3) Was it a hard course?

Thanks

 

[Smiffy]

I am lucky enough to have Sunningdale subsidised with a work do evey year: 36 holes, bacon rolls, 3 course carvery and sandwiches and cakes afterwards for £140. Same deal at St. George's Hill too.
The only person I've ever thought of inviting up to join me has been Smiffy. God, I love that guy to bits. I must get in touch with him soon and arrange it...

I tend to take Wednesdays off Simon.
PS I love you too.

 

[SwingsitlikeHogan]

I’m afraid such green fees simply go towards reinforcing the mindset in the wider public that golf is a game for the wealthy and privileged few…and yes I know, I know…most of us don’t…blah, blah.

 

[need_my_wedge]

I agree that the prices are somewhat eye watering, and perhaps out of reach for many. Maybe the clubs in question are pushing their prices to fend off visits from joe public? But they're obviously happy to take money from those that want to play and can afford it.

Personally, have played two from that list, neither paid full price. The deal Glyn got us on here at Turnberry, for both courses and accommodation for less than half the current green fee was superb value for money. I've been to Sunningdale 2 or 3 times on society days for less than half the listed price, playing both courses with breakfast and lunch, again superb value for money.

With regards to the prices in general, for these courses and many of the other top 100, it comes down to two things for me:

1. Do I really want to play the course
2. Can I afford it

If the answer is yes to both, then I am not thinking about value for money. It becomes a special day out (maybe it's a birthday gift), I'm aware of the cost, but I'm not counting cost per shot etc. I'm just thankful of the opportunity and going to enjoy my time on the course.

 

[r0wly86]

it is a strange one, where £300-400 is incredibly expensive, in what other sport can you play the top venues.

Playing the Old Course would be like having a game of cricket at Lords or Rugby at Twickenham.

I imagine people would pay a lot of money to play a game of football at Anfield. I have been lucky enough to play a few games of rugby at the Twickenham Stoop and it is special.

It is a shame that it is so expesnive to the point of prohibitive for a lot of places, and perhaps these courses could offer 2 fees, for UK nationals and foreigners, I know other countries do this.

 

[Ethan]

Looks superb!

My questions are: 1) would you recommend April, how was course condition, greens etc, do you think you could get away with playing it in March at a similar condition?

2) Were caddies mandatory? Did they add a lot? Did they make you go lower than otherwise?

3) Was it a hard course?

Thanks

1) April in NI could still be winter, or a pleasant early summer. March more likely the former.

2) You are not required to take caddies, but a forecaddie (1 per group) who watches on blind shots is an idea

3) Yes, it is. There are carries, some blind, and narrow fairways to tricky greens. If RCD had more hotels nearby, it should host The Open.

I am not saying you should spend money you can't afford on it, but you have 2 kidneys, only really need one, and they fetch good money on the black market, I hear.

 

[IanM]

Well, that’s most inconvenient.

Looks superb!

My questions are: 1) would you recommend April, how was course condition, greens etc, do you think you could get away with playing it in March at a similar condition?

2) Were caddies mandatory? Did they add a lot? Did they make you go lower than otherwise?

3) Was it a hard course?

Thanks

I played it in March a few years back when I was in the area for a Wedding. Was in very good condition, caddies were not mandatory and bits of it were quite tough.

But it was well worth it....

 

[IanM]

I’m afraid such green fees simply go towards reinforcing the mindset in the wider public that golf is a game for the wealthy and privileged few…and yes I know, I know…most of us don’t…blah, blah.

So what do the many thousands of much less expensive courses do?

 

[Neilds]

1) April in NI could still be winter, or a pleasant early summer. March more likely the former.

2) You are not required to take ladies, but a forecaddie ( 1 per group) who watches on blind shots is an idea

3) Yes, it is. There are carries, some blind, and narrow fairways to tricky greens. If RCD had more hotels nearby, it should host The Open.

I am not saying you should spend money you can't afford on it, but you have 2 kidneys, only really need one, and they fetch good money on the black market, I hear.

You might want to edit your comments at line 2)