Pay to play... how much?

[Big_M]

how much do you usually pay to play an 18 hole round? walk or ride? how often?

I myself am on a limited budget so I play most rounds at a few cheaper tracks and supplement with a few nicer courses throughout the year. I played about 60 rounds last year. I have also managed to fit golf in as part of or as THE vacation for the past three years. I also bought a bagboy cart and walk about 75% of the time. Currently I am in law school so I still pick up student rates at a lot of courses and I can play at off-peak hours. I also hunt for coupons and specials, and seek out twilight when I do play nicer courses. My wife usually plays with me about every week and a half, so that can get expensive too.

Anway, I'm just curious what everyone pays and how they keep it affordable, or if they are loaded enough to not worry about it.

[klaymon]

Depends on the time of year. The main course I go to is $28/18 to walk during the summer. When the fall/winter rates kick in, it's $15/18 to walk.

[ks8829]

I play Sharp Park because it is $21 on weekdays and $26 on weekends and holidays and in the San Francisco Bay Area you can't beat that.

[roverT7]

$125/month for a membership at a local club. Unlimited play, so is worth it. That deal, however, is a student rate. (I'm a 2L, Big_M). I justify it because I spend almost no money on clubs, balls, or gloves, and I almost always walk.

A new course just opened on the site of an apartment complex. Some nationwide developer goes around building these huge residential complexes with sports facilities, golf courses, etc...and residents get to play free. I'll probably check that out once I'm working, again to save money. It will also be nice to "live" on a golf course for once in my life;)

The nicest public course in our area runs ~$46 for 18 with a cart, on a weekend. I really can't justify spending that much on a round of golf. $28 is about the most I'd spend for 18.

The only other expense I have is range balls. I'm a sucker for a $5 night trip to Ol' Colony's range!

Rob

[wolverine318]

i pay roughly $45 a round on my Sat league to ride and $12 at my weekday league to walk. Cant walk a lot of Sat morning courses, or you can but have to pay for the cart anyways. I would walk but a lot of them to walk its just a pain in the butt with no caddie. I usually walk and just keep my bag in the cart lol.

[bogeyme]

Most of the time I play, I play at at Municiple course and it's like $15/18 walking. I usually golf with my grandpa and he likes to walk so it's all good. I do however play in a tournament at work and it's usually $50 for greens fees, cart, and lunch. Last year we played a course that is usually $50 and I played and had lunch for $50.

[King Norre]

I live in Belgium and here (and most parts of Western Europe) golf is still considered a game for the happy few If you want to play an 18hole course here you're looking at a 66$ greenfee minimum, whitout a ride. I said minimum, cause most clubs have greenfees of about 90$ and up. That's why I play at a 6hole golfschool, I just can't afford a membership to an 18hole club ( most clubs have an annual membership fee of about 2400$ and up).
I was really surprised when I found out there are 18hole courses in the US with a greenfee of only 20$. Unbelievable!

[Shindig]

I pay $24 weekdays $31 weekends, walking, at the L.A. Munis. There are a few courses around here outside that set that charge the same.

I've paid a bit more, usually vacations. But I hunt for deals. I played 36 holes at PGA SoCal last August for $55 (+$5/lunch), and it included a cart and water. I played Trilogy La Quinta for $35 or so.

I will occasionally spend $50 to play Shorecliffs with some friends.

[andre112]

wow you guys are so lucky
municiple courses there are at least $40+ walk
if i want to play better conditioned courses, it will be $60+

[wachesawgolfer]

Here in Myrtle Beach golf is $$ for locals off season at about $45 with cart. Most courses are way too long between holes to walk on at least one side and there is not much discount anyway. In season, March 1 thru June 1 and September 15 thru December 1, not much local rates before time enough to finish, so the rates can jump to $100 for a decent course. The best bet is the muni for walkers which is a bargain at about $18.

[RussianCarl]

I usually play the local muni course which is about $9/9 holes... not a bad deal. Other than that, in Kenosha we have a couple great public courses in the area. $22/18 for weekday 18 at a really nice course. Personally, I play a lot more when I have coupons and always go twilight rates. I also love fall rates and usually wait until the end of the year to get in all my golf. So, I guess I've never paid more than $20 for a round of golf. I walk all the time by the way.

[Jeepthrills]

Most of my rounds are 9 holers, but when I do play 18 it's almost always over $40. The only real exception is a really nice par 60 course that I play on vacation in North Western Michigan called Bennona Shores. It's only $25 for 18 in a cart and the course is in great shape. They have a limited number of memberships available each year and we are on the waiting list. It likely won't be this year, but by next year we should be in. It's only about $250 for an individual or $400 for a couple for the year and includes all greens fees. A cart is $9 per person for 18 holes.

[g-funk13]

I have to admit since i play on the road at least as many rounds as at home, I end up paying 40+
I am looking forward to moving the family out of the City and to Kentucky this year. . . great courses for CHEAP!!! At least when I am home I'll be able to play for le$$

[TheMizunoMan]

Im A Brit, I pay about £125 a year. And im a junior!

[xixiviii]

I work part time at a driving range / par 3 course, so I can play there for free and hit as many balls as I want, but it gets old fast. I use this to justify paying for a "nice" round occasionally, but for the most part the Dallas / Ft. Worth area has a some good municipal courses and most are only between $20 - $25 to walk on weekends.

[JonnyGolf]

In the Bay area, you can count on over $40 to play on the weekends at the muni. If you want to play a nicer course, $75 is the minimum. Some cities have resident deals that lower the cost for their muni, but not here in San Jose.

[powertrip240]

I live in Arizona, where the golf season never ends. The rates, however, do go up quite a bit in the winter. This time of year, I just play a couple of cheap courses. The municipal course closest to me, Palo Verde, is $10 for 9 holes, walking, and $5 to go around again. It's nothing special, but it's cheap. When I want a better course, I go a little bit further and play Shalimar for $17/9 walking ($23 riding) and $11 to go around again.

In the summertime, I'll pay a little more, anywhere between $20 and $40 to play some nicer 18 hole courses, where I'll usually ride. It's too hot in the summer to walk 18 holes.

I've found some great deals, more so in the summer, through www.golfnow.com . Check it out.

[Cizzle]

I live in Arizona, where the golf season never ends. The rates, however, do go up quite a bit in the winter. This time of year, I just play a couple of cheap courses. The municipal course closest to me, Palo Verde, is $10 for 9 holes, walking, and $5 to go around again. It's nothing special, but it's cheap. When I want a better course, I go a little bit further and play Shalimar for $17/9 walking ($23 riding) and $11 to go around again.

I played at shalimar in the fall, and it was by far the worst course I've ever encountered. The greens were brown and not cut and the fairways were about 3/4 of an inch tall. I hope they cleaned that place up, but I'll never be back.

Living in Arizona, they do jack up the prices in winter. I do get a student discount at Karstens for about 35 for a round, but usually just play munis for about 30-40 bucks.