Value Golf - How do you keep the $$ reasonable and play more?

[eich41]

Originally Posted by shamus

I've heard a couple people say this about the courses on that card, but so far I don't see it. All of them are challenging and in great shape for this time of year, but we'll see as the summer progresses. My favorite so far has been the Links at Northfork, with my least favorite being Sawmill (I can see why some would call that one a dog track). I swear you people must play out at Hazeltine on a weekly basis to call these courses dog tracks. I also figured out the cost of gas to drive to and from the courses for the summer and it still works out to be a great deal, much cheaper than a membership to any one course within 10 miles of me.

I'm not from your area.  Where I'm from there are several different "punch cards" with various courses that are put together by different entities.  All the ones that I've seen or bought, seem to include 1 or 2 "premium courses" (which are supposed to sell the package), 1 or 2 "mid-range", then the rest are dog tracks.  Every punch card is going to be different though, I'm not familiar with yours.

[shamus]

ah, your post made it sound like you were, especially when you referenced, "the resort courses up north." my bad.

[Aquaguru]

I go with the membership.  I get a two year 7-day membership card to play at a very nice course (a real hidden gem) for ONLY $475.  I also walk so if I play 20 rounds in two years I have paid it off.  I do that around the first 3 months, so I really play for free for about 20 months.  The only downside is that I do not play other courses just because I can't afford the green fees being in graduate school.

[clarkgriswold]

Value golf. at least in the west metro of Minneapolis, is a really hard find.  I did a pretty exhaustive search for memberships this offseason and found I would need to play a lot more golf than I am usually able to find time for in order to make the $ make sense.

Using Golfnow.com has scored me some decent rounds at Legends, etc. but most often I am paying full price for most rounds.  Twilight golf is difficult to make happen during the week, for me...so it's not a super option.

Maybe hitting the pavement and pleading with struggling courses would actually find you a decent discount from their posted memembership rates but I haven't the time to make those pitches.

Good luck!

[Bullitt5339]

I pay $720 a year for a membership at a nice semi-private club here.  Then I walk instead of ride in a cart and I play for free.

[GaijinGolfer]

I keep the costs down by playing munis and walking.

[Dave H]

I'm definitely on a budget so to maximize my golf, I try to play cheaper muni courses, always walk, bring my own water bottle and snacks, and try to play at twilight rates. Of course, this means that I'm not playing on nicer courses most of the time, but that's ok, I prefer quantity over quality at this point in my golf life. I do usually try to play one nicer course a month which might mean $35-$45 for a round as opposed to $18 - $26.

[GJBenn85]

It helps that almost all courses in my area offer resident rates which are 50-60% of rack rate.  While tourists are paying $90-100, I pay $45.  The course I play the most also has a rewards program, 1 point per dollar spent and each point is worth about a dime.  Basically, play 10 rounds get one free.

I really wish local courses offered membership programs where you play a flat fee and can play any of the courses as many times as you like, but I think there is sufficient business that they do not need to create such a program.

[gloomis29]

I usually walk as well unless I am playing with a 4some and they all want to ride or if I have a good coupon.  I also RARELY buy golf balls or tees, I have a Mon-Fri membership and in the fall I have several holes where I can spend 5min looking in the woods/deep rough for lost balls since no one is really out playing on a Monday at 3pm in October around here........last year I played 9 holes 2 different times in the rain and my main objective was looking for golf balls - the beauty of Gore-tex! Found over 50 both times.  I NEVER hold anyone up ball hawking though, I am a fast player, just have to keep my eyes peeled!

I also got all of my clubs except for my iron set off of ebay - easy to convince the wife when I show her full retail prize on TGW compared to what I paid - haha!

[Otis32]

Originally Posted by clarkgriswold

Value golf. at least in the west metro of Minneapolis, is a really hard find.  I did a pretty exhaustive search for memberships this offseason and found I would need to play a lot more golf than I am usually able to find time for in order to make the $ make sense.

Using Golfnow.com has scored me some decent rounds at Legends, etc. but most often I am paying full price for most rounds.  Twilight golf is difficult to make happen during the week, for me...so it's not a super option.

Maybe hitting the pavement and pleading with struggling courses would actually find you a decent discount from their posted memembership rates but I haven't the time to make those pitches.

Good luck!

I agree about the lack of value in memberships around the twin-cities. Rounds are way down at the courses where I play yet the membership rates are still $1300 and above just like they were at the tail end of the golf boom. Doesn't quite pencil out in my mind.

One thing I do is play in a Monday afternoon league. The league fee is the twilight fee so after the league 9 is over 3 or 4 of us can often tack on an extra nine.

I also golf a lot in the fall. Last year Tanners Brook in Forest lake started a $20.00 rate for walking the last week of September.  By taking an afternoon off here and there and getting some guys to go there on weekends I got in 7 or 8 good value rounds at a pretty good course last year before the weather turned bad.

[stevejason]

Originally Posted by Aquaguru

I go with the membership.  I get a two year 7-day membership card to play at a very nice course (a real hidden gem) for ONLY $475.  I also walk so if I play 20 rounds in two years I have paid it off.  I do that around the first 3 months, so I really play for free for about 20 months.  The only downside is that I do not play other courses just because I can't afford the green fees being in graduate school.

Two years of unlimited play for $475, that's a steal. Which Cincy course is it?

[lumpuckeroo]

Obviously green fees and cart are the most on-going expense, but I also do some of the little things, like I bring my own water and snacks.  I never buy stuff like that at the course.  I also try to play on weekday evenings, so I get the weekday twilight rate.  I played and rode at a course that is $55 on the weekend, but only $27.25 on a Wednesday after 2:00 pm.

[Topper]

Same as everyone else.

• Walking instead of riding is usually the biggest money saver.  For some courses, it's like playing two rounds for the price of one riding round.
• Twilight Rates
• Selecting less pricey courses
• Taking advantage of late fall specials (I played Turning Stone Casino's Shenendoah Course for $50 with cart!)
• Playing courses closer to home.

[clubchamp]

I joined a private country club and I just play, hit the range, and practice facilities enough to make sure I get my money out of it. The upfront cost is what turns people away but if you break it down and you are able to play enough it's easily worth it. I'm also a big pace of play guy so playing at public courses drove me insane on weekends but since I joined I've never played longer then a 4:15 round.

[Jimdangles]

I am 21 with a full time job so budgeting isnt my strong point but im trying to keep it down to one or maybe two decent courses on saturday and sunday. no more than 70 or so for both mostly by going twilight and online rates. just booked a 60 dollar course for 33 bucks a person on Saturday in OC/LA area that gives us 5.5 hours of play or so. only problem is you have to pay in advance for those and because its a public course 5.5 can be pushing it. During the week i try not to do anything but driving range but i mostly use my local courses chipping range for hours for free. Drive for show but short game for dough, or something like that. Other than that i walk a course for 12 dollars. only par 62 but it has lights and just dont have to take it serious cuz its only 12 bucks. other than that i dont enjoy walking a 7000 yard course or whatever. so summary: twilight and online rates and a free chipping alternative when possible. if i have friends with me we will take the chipping area and make it a 50 yard par 3 or something like that and choose different flags to go at or make obstacles like must enter sand trap and exit sand trap. par 4.