Evan,
I agree with you in concept, and that is the way it should work. But in reality, there really are vast differences between local/regional golf markets.
For example, you came here to the SLC area, and you saw the great and inexpensive options that are available here. And on Sundays it twice as nice with half the population off to church. I can count the number of tee times on one hand that I've had to get to play here, and usually then it was only because it was a group of us going and we wanted to make sure the time was set. Otherwise, I just pick a course, show up, and they get me out with a minimal wait if any.
In the bay area, its vastly different. The course you and I played would easily be double what we paid, maybe even triple digit green fees. And the line would be out the door just to get on. In the bay area I also rarely got tee times because the only ones available were late afternoon. A morning weekend tee time, fuggetabout-it...unless you know someone.
P.S. It just really chaps my hide that my most expensive green fee here is less than 50 bones...
