The Glades and Lakelands on the Gold Coast are now charging $160 AU a game and Hope Island and Brookwater's walk up rates are $130.
none of them are worth any more than $60 and even then only due to the lack of decent competition in the area to keep prices down as in Melbourne.
Cape Kidnappers and Kauri both charge $450NZ these days which is ludicrous, but they have the common sense to employ a 'local rate' to keep the punters happy.
That's $A, which puts the two former at just a tick over $110, and the $130 rate translates to around $US90. And they are roughly around our nation's top end in pricing.
The point being, I think regardless of the fact that all true golfers and lovers of the game would love to play Pebble, the coin is such a stretch that many equally momentus occasions on other great courses among the best and most hallowed on the planet will cost a lot less, and so the "experience" doesn't have to be forfeited, just to disagree with anyone that tries to claim that not playing Pebble at these prices has to be categorised as a $$ thinking exercise ahead of a more uninhibited love of the game.
I just spent three days and two nights at Barnbougle, played for three days, ate at the resort twice a day, took caddies every day and went wine touring and bought a mixed dozen of boutique wines, ALL for less than the simple 18 hole rate at Pebble Beach.
I'd sooner go to Bandon than Pebble, and spend $2,000 over a few days getting a lot more experience, longevity and loads of fun and memories.