Splurging for nicer courses. How often do you?

[bkuehn1952]

4 hours ago, sirhacksalot said:

How often do you splurge on nicer courses? 

We can afford my playing more costly courses.  I generally choose not to do so.  About once a month our neighbor invites me to join him at his semi private club (walking $61). It is a nice change of pace.  My typical golf round is around $25 if averaged over the course of a season.

[Rainmaker]

Pretty much never.  The last time I played a "nice course" was when my buddy won 2 free tee times . .like 4 years ago, lol.  Which is not to say that I can't appreciate the differences between a really nice course and the bottom-of-the-market places I typically play.  I would be the last one to argue my point - but I feel like the *true* game of golf is found on the goat tracks - at the $10 twilights, etc.  That's where I feel I belong.    

[lastings]

I live in the Twin Cities and here it's just really tough to find a reasonable priced course.  So many golfer per capita here, that courses can simply get away with overcharging and still keep the book full.  

My Cheap courses are about $60 with a cart, which ends up being about $90 after a couple beers and a hot dog and what have you.  Not to mention the sleeve of balls that I am sure to lose.  

 

[Braivo]

My "splurge" is paying $42 to walk Eagle Crest in Ypsilanti. A typical home course round for me is $35 with a cart. Although last weekend I played Eagle Eye near Lansing for $95 thanks to a gift card from the girlfriend. By far the highest end course I have ever played. 

[jsgolfer]

I'm a Member at a Country Club, but when we travel, our pro will contact local Country Clubs and try to get us on.  This usually ranges from$ 65-$100/round.  Although if the course has really good reviews my wife and I don't mind paying more than that.  

[nevets88]

Only when playing with others, as a single, not going to until the swing improves to my liking. Also, when you're traveling and you have no recourse, sometimes you have but no choice but to play the course nearest you, it's like paying $10 for a slice of pizza at the airport, except the pizza is really good, not heat lamped.

[Dave2512]

18 hours ago, Yukari said:

Some of you guys have some great deals!

Around here, walking is about $50 weekdays.  But they are very nice courses.  I splurge a few times a year ranging anywhere from $100 to $300.

Wha? Makes me glad I don't live over, down (up?) there. If I had to pay more than $35 riding 18 on weekends I wouldn't golf. No more than $25 on weekdays.

But I'm certain price isn't a huge factor in how nice a course can be. Some of the best courses we play aren't adorned with Augusta like foliage but the parts of the course where you play golf are in great condition. I'll take nice greens and reasonable pace of play over anything. Big reason I stick with out of the way courses.

 

[jkelley9]

40 minutes ago, Dave2512 said:

Wha? Makes me glad I don't live over, down (up?) there. If I had to pay more than $35 riding 18 on weekends I wouldn't golf. No more than $25 on weekdays.

But I'm certain price isn't a huge factor in how nice a course can be. Some of the best courses we play aren't adorned with Augusta like foliage but the parts of the course where you play golf are in great condition. I'll take nice greens and reasonable pace of play over anything. Big reason I stick with out of the way courses.

 

Same. I would NOT be a golfer if I had to pay in that price range. I'm spoiled with my ~$45/month to play however much I want. And what's even nicer is that when I play in the afternoon it's often wide open :)

[sirhacksalot]

I am still neevous of playing a nice course solo, when I play my home course a few bad shots turn into a practice round very quickly unless I am playing with others.  That would kind of ruin the experience for me.  At the same time the best way to probably enjoy it would mpst likely be to forget about the score  card , again, something easily done with a group and not so much as a  single

[shanksalot]

 The course I play most of the time is a really nice course. Robert Trent Jones Jr designed and built. But at least two or three times a year we go down to another nice course Arnold Palmer course and usually stay for a couple of days and play each day. We also go up to Bend Oregon where there are many high level courses usually stay for the week and play on a stay and play package. 

[Brad W]

Nicest public course in my county, Camas Meadows, is 59 weekend summer rate. Next, Cedars at Salmon Creek, is 48 but you make up for it with lost balls (seriously). Wife and I new to game and we've settled on Camas and plan to play twice a month. For the two of us plus a cart that's about 300/month. No discount programs beyond things like twilight rates

i play a nine hole par 34 every other Thursday after work for 16 and I walk

there are a lot of options just south in the Portland market and they are about the same as the lessor option already mentioned. We plan to try some of those too as I wouldn't mind dropping that per month cost

the weather is turning on us fast this year, my golf for the season is rapidly coming to an end

2 hours ago, shanksalot said:

 The course I play most of the time is a really nice course. Robert Trent Jones Jr designed and built. But at least two or three times a year we go down to another nice course Arnold Palmer course and usually stay for a couple of days and play each day. We also go up to Bend Oregon where there are many high level courses usually stay for the week and play on a stay and play package. 

Where are you ... Which courses are you playing?

[Scotsclaff]

I've splurged once this year.

125 bucks for the Royal Gems course beside Bangkok.

Me and a mate drove past Pebble beach last year,we decided it wasn't worth 500 bucks and played Pacific Grove instead 35bucks.

[ndsu84]

We play Bully Pulpit once each summer.  Great course but $95 with required cart.

I pay a cc membership by the month in Texas.  They allow a monthly membership for us winter Texans since we're only there a few months.  It's $600 a month plus $15 per round, with or without cart.  

[rkim291968]

My wife and I have a membership at a very good course.  It's hard to splurge for a better course unless we go to courses at Pebble Beach, Bandon Dunes, etc..   We have been doing that once a year.