[Pete Lavallee]

Although Tim's right about the weather, the only golf course in San Diego that charges $25 or less is the muni in Coronado; it's a great value for the money, the catch is getting a tee time. They do however offer a prepaid round for $40, but you have to tee off after 10am.

You could do the SD military circuit: Camp Pendleton, Mira Mar Memorial and Admiral Baker; all allow outside play for about $30 during the week. You will need someone with a decal to get you on North Island's Sea and Air; their back nine is right on the beach at Coronado.

Throw in a Super 8 on Hotel Circle and you're close.

[Jason Topp]

Thanks for the input.  The problem with some of these choices is that you are taking a risk of really bad weather when you book far in advance.

The A List

Myrtle Beach
Apache Stronghold
North Carolina

The B List (may be too pricey)

Charlston
San Diego
LA (I already have essentially done this trip so probably not this time)
Rio Rico (I did this trip last year - definitely a good value)

Any Florida, Georgia or Texas options?   How cold is it at Texas Tech in January and February?

The potentially really cold list:

Tennesee/Kentucky
The senior bus to Branson
Kansas

[Dan Kelly]

The potentially really cold list:

The senior bus to Branson

Well, sure, the WEATHER might be cold. But you can't stay all that cold when Andy Williams is in the neighborhood (not to mention thousands upon thousands of elderly Middle Westerners).

[Jason Topp]

The potentially really cold list:

The senior bus to Branson

Well, sure, the WEATHER might be cold. But you can't stay all that cold when Andy Williams is in the neighborhood (not to mention thousands upon thousands of elderly Middle Westerners).

Dan - I suggest you scout it out for me and provide a report.

[Dan Kelly]

Dan - I suggest you scout it out for me and provide a report.

Jason -- I know you're joking (because I'm such a perceptive guy, I knew it even before the  !) -- but the report you suggest has the makings of a really funny story:

Golf Nut Hitches Ride on Geezer Motorcoach for Midwinter Holiday in Branson.

Can you imagine the dialogue?

Though somehow I doubt our Travel editor would see the humor.

[Jason Topp]

Dan - that is why you are in the reporting industry and I am not.  You need to be able to smell those good stories.

[Michael Whitaker]

Jason,

Check out Fripp Island, SC. They have a great package with unlimited golf, accommodations, breakfast and range for $99 per day. The courses are a LOT of fun, with a very different look... many of the jungle scenes from Forrest Gump were shot there! One of the courses is the first by the Davis Love group and our friend Paul Cowley.

[PThomas]

the Amelia Island Resort in Florida might be a possibility

[RJ_Daley]

Jason, I'd listen to Mike Whitaker if I were you.  Can you imagine the deal we all received at Dixie Cup.  Share a room for 350 for 3 nights including the golf at the likes of TB and Cale?  I can't live here in my own home without the golf for that!  

Mike, you must have a really inside track on best deals down there.

[John Goodman]

I guess Bama is out because you've already been here?

There is better golf than the Trail within an hour of Birmingham:

Limestone Springs (Pate)
FarmLinks (Hurdzan/Fry)
Ballantrae (Cupp)
Timberline (Pate)
Old Colony (Pate)
Capstone Club (Hanse)

These will cost a little more than the Trail, I'm guessing, but not much more.  Weather shouldn't be a problem here.

[Michael Whitaker]

Mike, you must have a really inside track on best deals down there.

Just good friends who like hosting lovable Cheeseheads like you guys!

[Jason Topp]

Here's my summary.  I should probably throw in the Reverse Jans as a dark horse.


The A List

Myrtle Beach
Apache Stronghold
North Carolina
Birmingham
North Carolina
Fripp Island, SC

The B List (may be too pricey)

Charleston
San Diego
LA (I already have essentially done this trip so probably not this time)
Rio Rico (I did this trip last year - definitely a good value)
Amelia Island


The potentially really cold list:

Tennesee/Kentucky
The senior bus to Branson
Kansas

The what is that list:

CH


Does it rain much in the South in the winter?  The one advantage of AZ is that it almost never rains.

[John_Conley]

Jason, isn't Orlando an obvious choice?  We have affordable air access, cheap hotels, bargain car rentals, and about 120 courses within an hour of downtown - many of them inexpensive.

Weather here is much better than most of the country during that time.

Sheesh, FBD even recommends Sun Air - and that's one of the worst pieces of mess around.  Several courses are pretty good compared to the national average.

[ChipRoyce]

Another suggestion is here in Lovely Austin, TX.

Right now temps are sunny in the high 60's and low 70's.

Travel cost:
 - American, Jet Blue, Continental and Delta should be able to get you here under $300
 - Hotels - plenty of nice places in the $49 - $79 / night range
 - Car Rentals - you'd be crazy to pay more than $25 / day on weekends

Golf:
 - Delaware Springs (40 min north) - Axland & Proctor - $40 max
 - Avery Ranch $40-$70
 - Riverside (Maxwell, former Austin Country Club) - $29
 - Golf Club at Circle C - $40-50
 - Golf Club at Star Ranch - $40
 - TerraVista - $40-$60

Also, quite a few decent / good private tracks that you can get on quite easily.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Jason, It is hard to beat the RTJ Trail for high value golf with good value accomadations. The southern part ie Montgomery south can be very good in January. However I would think of the Miss gulf coast to Gulf Shores with good weather and in need of tourists post katrina. Very good values.

[Tom Ferrell]

IMO, the very best cheap trip in America is to Jekyll Island, Georgia.  You will be able to get an oceanfront hotel with unlimited golf on three Joe Lee courses (Oleander is a past host of the PGA Tour Q-School), along with a killer Walter Travis 9-holer, for no more than $70 day inclusive.  Within an easy drive, you have Osprey Cove in St. Mary's, the legendary Fernandina Beach Muni, and a host of other options.

Jekyll ain't much for nightlife - although it's just half an hour or less to St. Simons, where there is nightlife.

[John Goodman]

Jason I checked on some rates -

Most of the Trail courses in January or February are $55 including cart, $40 walking (these courses are generally not very walkable).  Ross Bridge in Birmingham and the Judge course in Prattville are more expensive.  I'll bet there are Trail packages you can get that are cheaper than this though.  This subject has been discussed on here before, but I like the Auburn and Greenville Trail sites the best.  None of them are great GCA by any means, but they are a good value and fun to play, sort of Doak 5-ish, give or take.

For the other courses I mentioned earlier:

Limestone Springs GC (Oneonta AL, about 35 minutes north of Bham):  $59 weekday ($25 replay), $69 weekend ($35 replay).  Limestone and most of the others have cheaper twilight rates (which probably won't do you much good in Jan or Feb.).

Ballantrae GC (Pelham; 25 minutes south of BHM):  $47 weekday, $64 weekend.  

Timberline GC (Calera AL; 35 mins south of BHM): $52 M-Th, $57 F, $62 Sat-Sun.  Very walkable.

FarmLinks GC (Sylacauga, 45 mins SE of BHM):  $100, all the golf you can play plus lunch and range balls.

Ol Colony GC (Northport; right near Tuscaloosa, an hour west of BHM):  $47 weekday, $53 weekend.

Capstone Club (Brookwood - 20 mins from Tuscaloosa, 40 mins from BHM):  $39 weekday, $49 weekend.

One other I didn't mention before is Twin Bridges, a Gene Bates designed muni in Gadsden AL, #8 GD Best New Affordable in 2004.  An hour NE of BHM.  $33 weekday, $43 weekend.  Very walkable.  This course pairs nicely for a daily outing with Silver Lakes, the Trail course near Gadsden.  You'd have to get a very early time at one course or the other, but I think you could fit both in on a day in January or Feb.

Round trip airfare from Minneapolis to BHM is probably going to be in the $400 range.  I didn't check on hotels but there Hampton Inns, Courtyards etc. all over the place.

Average highs in January are in the 50s, low to mid 60s in Feb.  Doesn't rain much that time of year.

[Tim Copeland]

Jason, isn't Orlando an obvious choice?  We have affordable air access, cheap hotels, bargain car rentals, and about 120 courses within an hour of downtown - many of them inexpensive.

Weather here is much better than most of the country during that time.

Sheesh, FBD even recommends Sun Air - and that's one of the worst pieces of mess around.  Several courses are pretty good compared to the national average.

Sure...come on down and join the Mouse ears

It took me 4 hours to drive 50 miles last night

[Steve Pozaric]

The potentially really cold list:

The senior bus to Branson

Well, sure, the WEATHER might be cold. But you can't stay all that cold when Andy Williams is in the neighborhood (not to mention thousands upon thousands of elderly Middle Westerners).

Dan - I suggest you scout it out for me and provide a report.

We went to Branson several years ago, not much good golf other than Branson Creek, a good Fazio course (if you like Fazio).  What more could you ask when you pair that up with Shoji Tabuchi the Japanese fiddler player!  

[John_Conley]

Sure...come on down and join the Mouse ears

It took me 4 hours to drive 50 miles last night

Which 50 miles?  Up and down 192 all night?  Must have been an accident.

If I were a visiting golfer on a cheap trip I'd say near 192 and 27 and play places like Legends, Highlands Reserve, and Southern Dunes.  The mistake would be staying on the other end of 192 near Falcon's Fire or up in Lake Buena Vista.

Daytona Beach would be very inexpensive also.

A lot of the suggestions won't have certain good weather.  Arizona, Florida, and Southern California will.

[Jason Topp]

John:

Weather is definitely a key component and tends to make me shy away from Alabama and Georgia. I played Southern Dunes last year and definitely enjoyed it.

What about the Dunes at Seville (or whatever it is called now)?  I might be able to compromise my principles and get one day at World Woods if we combined it with a cheap decent second course.

[John_Conley]

Jason, I'm as big of an advocate for the Dunes as you'll find.  If you head that direction, I'd include El Diablo and Golden Hills (across the street from Golden Ocala) as well.  

[John_Conley]

'ere's a private message just two days short of being exactly two years old.  From John Cullum (Sarge)

====

John

I felt like a road trip yesterday so I drove up to Dunes. I got there about 12:30. The place was practically empty. I teed off about 1:15 and did not see another golfer until the 5th when I caught up with a husband wife pair. A single soon caught me and we joined up. I was pulling out of the parking lot at 4:56. I spent $37.00-golf, cart, large bucket, hot dog. The course is in very playable condition. The greens have been overseeded and are cut down, running about 8.5. I neber had a bad lie in the fairway, the bermuda is still healthy and some overseeding is in filling in.  The bunkers have the natural sand in them and they play very well, powdery yet firm. And the low maintenance budget enhances their appearance. I was reminded of the parkland and moorland courses of England as I went around.

I have only played there once before, about 5 years ago. Maybe it was the pace of play, and perfect weather, but I cannot recall enjoying a round of golf more in years.

I would have never thought of Hills in the minimalist school, but the Dunes is damn never perfect minimalism. This course has got to be in the top 5 in Florida. If you haven't been ther lately, make some time.

[Gary Daughters]

I'll second Jekyll Island.  Great deals, excellent golf.  Laid back.  Plus you could swing over to Brunswick and bug Paul Cowley.

[PThomas]

re the DUnes, Ron WHitten wrote about it last year and said the conditions were quite bad there

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