Least Bang for the Bucks

[Richard Choi]

The thread on Las Vegas golf has inspired this topic.

There are plenty of lists around for overall best golf courses or best golf courses for your dollar. But what about golf courses at the other end of the scale?

What courses have you played where at the end of the day, you felt like you just got robbed?

I will nominate both Falls and Reflection Bay at Lake Las Vegas. For $295/round and $180 for twilight (peak rates) you get a couple of very nice holes surrounded by 16 very mediocre holes. What a bargain!

Let your fury fly!

[Brent Hutto]

What courses have you played where at the end of the day, you felt like you just got robbed?

The first course that comes to mind is a Nicklaus design called "Legacy" or something like that located just south of Pinehurst. It certainly was a waste of a green fee at something on the order of $70-$80 on a winter Sunday morning but the eight bucks was the least of it. It was the final day of a weekend trip to Pinehurst (my first ever) and I realized that instead of plodding along a nigh-unwalkable, boggy, contrived parkland course of no redeeming characterstics whatsoever I could be spending that day a few miles up the road playing Pinehust #[pick one] or Pine Needles or Mid-Pines or any number of other fine Sandhills courses.

[Mike Wagner]

I'm interested to see people's thoughts on Pebble in this discussion.

Also, Wolf Creek comes to mind when I compare it to the other golf in Mesquite.  Although it's quite an experience, the shot quality didn't meet the fees for me.

[Tommy Williamsen]

I'm interested to see people's thoughts on Pebble in this discussion.

Also, Wolf Creek comes to mind when I compare it to the other golf in Mesquite.  Although it's quite an experience, the shot quality didn't meet the fees for me.

Mike, for me playing Pebble the first time was worth it, but not thereafter.  Way too much money for me.

[Dan_Callahan]

Gillette Ridge charges 80 bucks on the weekend. What a joke.

[George Pazin]

I'm said many times on here that I think Olde Stonewall north of Pittsburgh (not the Doak Stonewall outside of Philly) is way overpriced relative to its quality - $160 in season. Even it's $100 out of season is too much for me, given the course that it is. I'd choose to play Quicksilver for $55 any and every time (and, for that matter, if OS were $55, I'd still choose Quicksilver over it, but at least at $55 OS wouldn't be ripping people off).

I'd say $185 in season for Mystic Rock is too much as well, but at least there, I can kinda understand it, given the additional amenities. The scary part is they're probably still losing money, even at that rate.

[Tom Yost]

The TPC of Scottsdale Stadium course at $250 in high season has always seemed to be a questionable value from my perspective.


Tom

[Gib_Papazian]

Bali Hai - Las Vegas.

$350 to play a generic golf course with phony palm trees and white gravel, while dodging 737's shrieking 100 feet over your head at the edge of a busy airport runway.

#2. Trump National, Rancho Palos Verdes. The place was mostly empty on a Saturday morning . . . . . in the middle of public golf starved L.A.

#3. Cascata. $350 for . . . . . . . squadoosh.

#4. Pelican Hill - Newport Beach. $350 to get treated like cattle at an eye candy factory.

[Tom Huckaby]

You nailed it, shivas.

Add Edgewood-Tahoe to that list.  $225 in season, total joke.

[Matt_Cohn]

A certain golf course in San Francisco which isn't Harding Park, at $108 for out-of-towners on weekends.

But nobody plays that course for the quality of the golf, anyway. There are 15 reasons people play that course that are higher on the list than its architectural features.

[rjsimper]

Monarch Beach in Dana Point - And yes, this one falls under the Shivas theory.

[Jordan Wall]

ummm...I think the criteria is pretty clear....so-so courses on or near beautiful bodies of water are the biggest ripoffs in golf:

Harbour Point

[Chris Kane]

How does Wentworth stack up at £285?

[Tom Huckaby]

Torrey Pines, too.

and, yes, Monarch Beach is right in there...

Wow... I was going to defend Torrey as at least there you get the bang of playing a PGA Tour / future US Open site... but good lord, it's $218 on weekends now for the South.  So yes, it qualifies here.  Yowza.

I am in full agreement re Monarch Beach also.  

[George Pazin]

ummm...I think the criteria is pretty clear....so-so courses on or near beautiful bodies of water are the biggest ripoffs in golf:

Don't know about the specifics of the ocean/water courses, but if they're less than $300, I'd sooner pay that than $160 to ride through the hills in western PA and look at iron cutouts of animals that you can actually see in person.

[Mark_F]

$100 for the Moonah Links Leviathan Open Course - they should be paying us to play it.

Makes the Wentworth deal look positively bargain basement.

[Daryl David]

Assuming exchanges rates hold, I nominate Muirfield's 2008 rate of $325 for a morning round.  Definitely Pebble and any course that requires carts and then also requires you take a forecaddie.  Bear's Best in Vegas and Reynolds Plantation come to mind.

[Andy Troeger]

I'm a bit surprised no one has mentioned Doral, Reynolds Plantation, Troon North, or Greyhawk (or any number of other AZ courses if you play during the winter). Haven't played any of them but seems like they come up as usual suspects in the overpriced derby? Is that fair or should they not be included?

[Anthony_Nysse]

Harbour Town GL

Tony Nysse
Sr Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

[Andy Troeger]

Harbour Town GL

Tony Nysse
Sr Asst. Supt.
Long Cove Club
HHI, SC

Tony,
Only MOST of the time. When I came down to play I paid $135 for the golf and hotel, not bad at all! Two night minimum, so we had to play another course at the resort which wasn't anything special, but still no complaints.

[Doug Ralston]

Doesn't every exclusive Private outdistance all these? $200K to play it a few times ........ I mean, if just playing the course is the measuring device, just list whichever Private course cost most, and voila!

Doug

[Jon Wiggett]

How bout £220 for Troon?

Ciao

especially as they have put the price up by over 600% in the last 20 years. Is the course really that much better now than it was then?

[Bob Jenkins]

Absolutely agree re Half Moon Bay. Played the links course last spring and was hugely disappointed. Also agree on Monarch Beach but then it was not one that built up my hopes of something great before I got there.

[Jim Colton]

How about The Glen Club outside of Chicago?  I believe the peak rate is $185.

[Jed Peters]

Can there be a bigger ripoff than the Falls at Lake Las Vegas?

$275, had to take a cart, and mandatory forecaddie.

Bear's best was pretty close ($200/weekend had to take caddie)

Courses are dogtracks surrounded by houses.