Course Rates

[Spyder]

My local course finally implemented their 'Fall Rate' of $30.00 play all day, or $22.00 for 18 and a cart. Several other "higher end" courses have their Fall Rates in play as well, but they're only like $5.00 cheaper than their peak Spring/Summer rates.

After speaking to a superintendent at the $30.00 play all day course, he said those other courses offering $5.00 off are just rolling in profits. My course can afford to put out $30.00 play all day because they've cut back on watering and they scaled their staff back for Fall/Winter already and they are still profiting big time. Hours of play are also cut back dramatically as it is already beginning to be dark out by 7:30 (god I miss playing until 9:30 PM in June!), so there's a little less traffic on the course throughout the duration of a day (less course damage and wear/tear from play and less maintenance/upkeep required)

Some of the courses that I'm referencing were $55.00 for 18+cart all summer and are now $50.00 flat (weekdays) and $60.00 weekend (used to be $65.00).

I'm just curious if you guys have any courses around you that are being fair with their Fall Rates, or if they're just obnoxious such as the $5.00 discount that a few of the courses near me are offering.

[zipazoid]

In Orlando, the rates go up in the fall. Cheapest time to play is summer weekday afternoons.

[ghalfaire]

I would think that most locations that have "nice" Winter weather will have higher Winter rates.  I know in the Phoenix area rates can double or even triple at some courses over the Winter months. The local courses beg for people to play in the Summer so they can pay the water bills and in Winter try to recover their losses with Snow Bird visitors money.

[Grumpter]

Most of the courses I looked at around here haven't published fall/winter rates yet. One has begun giving a discount starting at 1pm (12pm if signing up online) which is an hour earlier than the summer discount start time. Another corse has Winter rates posted, which don't start until October 31st, $35 to ride on a weekend as opposed to $63 during the summer.

[vo-man]

my local course has a senior rate for anyone over 50.....$17 and that includes the cart for 18 holes.

[David in FL]

In Orlando, the rates go up in the fall. Cheapest time to play is summer weekday afternoons.

Yep. Starting to get pricy down here. The good news is, course conditions this fall are going to be spectacular due to the rain we've had in late summer! :-)

[lumpuckeroo]

No courses in our area have fall/winter rate, the rate is the same all year round.  The only time you might get a rate reduction is when they have just aerated the greens and that is usually for a few days.

[TourSpoon]

In the end you have to remember that golf courses are businesses. Supply and demand plays a part of it. If they price themselves out of the market then they will be another golf course tragedy. Golfers will vote with their feet if they feel they are not getting the proper value for the dollar, especially in the off season.

[phillyk]

My course haven't moved to fall rates yet, but it might happen beginning October when they punch the greens I'm guessing.  But they've been moving the twilight times up, like now twilight is at 1:30 and $24 for 18 weekday, $30 weekend.

[Fourputt]

Originally Posted by lumpuckeroo

No courses in our area have fall/winter rate, the rate is the same all year round.  The only time you might get a rate reduction is when they have just aerated the greens and that is usually for a few days.

This is how it is on my home course too.  The course was built in 1972 to be a money maker for the Foothills Recreation District, so any revenues not rolled back into the course goe into the District coffers to help defray the costs of other District activities.

[14ledo81]

My local course finally implemented their 'Fall Rate' of $30.00 play all day, or $22.00 for 18 and a cart. Several other "higher end" courses have their Fall Rates in play as well, but they're only like $5.00 cheaper than their peak Spring/Summer rates. After speaking to a superintendent at the $30.00 play all day course, he said those other courses offering $5.00 off are just rolling in profits. My course can afford to put out $30.00 play all day because they've cut back on watering and they scaled their staff back for Fall/Winter already and they are still profiting big time. Hours of play are also cut back dramatically as it is already beginning to be dark out by 7:30 (god I miss playing until 9:30 PM in June!), so there's a little less traffic on the course throughout the duration of a day (less course damage and wear/tear from play and less maintenance/upkeep required) Some of the courses that I'm referencing were $55.00 for 18+cart all summer and are now $50.00 flat (weekdays) and $60.00 weekend (used to be $65.00). I'm just curious if you guys have any courses around you that are being fair with their Fall Rates, or if they're just obnoxious such as the $5.00 discount that a few of the courses near me are offering.

If enough people think they are being obnoxious, they won't go to that course. I don't have a problem with courses charging whatever they can get. You are not forced to play there.

[Dave2512]

Here the rates are all over the place. Many have seasonal rates, some high and some low. With Golf Now it's tough to pay too much to golf. I just saw a hot deal on a local course that's usually $55 without a cart. Book it today on GN for $14 per player with cart. My experience is the popular courses don't need to discount rates. Those that don't get the traffic do what they can to bring people in. If I think something is too much I don't go.

It's the fading daylight I have a problem with. My home course is starting to close earlier as we head towards fall. Can't even get a cart after 5:30 and they won't let anyone but me out after 6 because they don't want people on the course when the sun sets. I get a pass because I can blaze around in 35-40 minutes as long as I don't catch up to someone that delays me. The cart guys aren't happy about getting a cart out for me but I spend a lot of money there.

[Stewie007]

A lot of variability here. A lot of courses are offering deals to get people to come out, and I think we'll be seeing higher rates as things improve when golfers are out in more force and the courses are forced to capacity. Prices will increase to accommodate.

It really depends on the amount of people that go to the course. A really popular, and quite good municipal course around here charges $45 at the minimum and $65 on peak weekends. Winter rates come down, but not by a lot. A lot of courses are offering deals to get people out, since golf courses still aren't seeing the numbers that they had before 2008-2009. I paid $34 for a really nice course that probably could get around $55, but its a little out of the way and the lower price attracts more people.

Other courses in higher population areas can charge more, but still a lot of deals. There is one Gem that is always in great shape and is actually quite well designed that plays for $16 after 4PM on every day in the week (at least as long as 18 holes is possible after that time... Its a bloody steal! They get a lot of after work golfers out as a result. I bet they make more money than they otherwise would. Very aggressive rate stepping for later in the day.  Their Weekend rates are $55.

In the Charlotte area, deals are pretty easy to find at most places. Though, there are a few that charge high prices pretty consistently only dropping as low as $40 (like Verdict Ridge) because they are good enough to get that price.

[Teamanglerx]

My local course is not on fall rates yet but last year they had a $20 all you can play plus cart deal.  This applied even on weekends.

[Lihu]

They charge $21 with cart starting at 3:15 or so for twilight, and $33 for 1:00pm. $75 for morning weekends. Usually, I get in 18 holes before dark with my kids. Then they get to run in the sprinklers as they go off on the last hole. Try hitting over the jets of water and making par or bogie, fun trying.

[Jeffrey71]

The 2 courses in my town cost less than $25 for 18 with a cart year round. They do have a twilight rate of $15 for a cart and as much as you can play before dark.

[sebsmash]

Here in sunny socal we have the same rates all year round.

I am trying to get as much golf in as I can before next summer though, I am going to turn 18 and have to pay the full green fees!

I think I may lie about being a junior at least till I turn 19.

The green fees at all the courses near me range from 30-80$ a round

and 8-40$ for juniors