Bob Huntley,
I am sure there are many members at the top courses who don't give a hoot about GW's rankings. However, I would wager that a good majority do.
One thing I've noticed about moneyed people is that they typically enjoy their position of status. Some display it overtly by way of Rolex and Bentley, while others are more into understated elegance with their unlabeled $200 golf shirts and even more costly tailored pants. They belong to the best clubs and recognition of that by others, at least in their peer groups and above, is very important.
BTW, Fort Worth might be the only place I've ever been to where this might be the exception to the rule. One can be sitting next to a cowboy at the Paris Cafe and not know that this guy who drove up in an older model pick-up truck with mud on his boots has nine figure net-worth. But even in Fort Worth, Colonial members get their dander up when Vaquero edges out its course at the top of the Texas list.
Barney,
What is it that gnaws at you about raters and comp rounds? Do you feel that your brother's work has been slighted? Do you seriously believe that there is a conflict of interest, i.e. that courses which comp raters get a higher rating?
Or is it that you don't believe that people should get something just because they are a part of a "special" group? If that's the case, are you having some dissonance about your fortunate state of affairs? You know, but for the grace of God or just some lucky sperm you could be ......me?
You are way too smart and knowledgeable about business matters to be continually harping on this subject. So fess up. What is going on? Maybe I have just grossly overestimated you all this time.
BTW, many of the top courses on the GW list do not comp raters. A good number of them won't even make arrangements for raters to play even at the full unaccompanied guest fee.
Pete,
You too should know better. Unless you are operating at capacity, having a few raters come by each year has little or no direct bottom line consequences. You know very well that once a tee time has gone unused, it has no residual value (whatever impact on maintenance there is on a variable basis, it is infinitisimal).
I guess that you could make the argument that if the comp round was not offered that the rater would be willing to pay the green fee. That may be true if yours is a very special course and convenient to a large population of raters.
In a perverse way, archies such as Barney's brother would be hurt most by an industry-wide no comp policy. A number of us go far out of our way to seek out the lesser known courses which may have some merit. These are typically done by Brauer, Foster, Axeland and Proctor, Hanse, Engh, DeVries, Kavanaugh, and not Nicklaus, Fazio or Jones. And, frankly, such courses like Wild Horse and Rustic Canyon may get an unintended push up the list because many raters do recognize the obstacles that were overcomed with only meager budgets.
So, Pete, what are your out-of-pocket costs when a Golf Digest rater comes to Pajaro Valley on an off day? If the guy walks, eats lunch, and maybe picks up a course guide you might add $5-$10 to your bottom line. If he buys a hat or shirt, add another $10 to $20.
You are right, nobody likes to give their product away for free. I am reminded of a milk cooperative which dumped a few truck tanks full of milk because they were protesting lower prices. I am not sure who benefited, but perhaps they felt better for their actions. Unless you are Pebble Beach or Augusta National, what is it that you're losing? Of course, it is your product and you are free to do with it what you will.