I think it costs so much because some people are stubborn or idiots. I went to the Turning Stone Resort last week with 11 other guys. They had a golf package that was very reasonable and we had a great time. They have one course where they play the PGA Tour event and we played it twice as part of our package: they charge $225 to play it if you are not on a package. One day when we played it, there was one other group on the course besides us - I'm talking the whole day - a total of 16 people were going to play the course that day. I asked them about a replay and they said the charge would be $150 - I said to the person in the golf shop, you have to be kidding, there's no one on the course, how about if I pay a cart fee and go out - he said the replay fee is $150 and that's it - he had no discretion to charge anything else and he had asked previously on other days and was told there were no exceptions. I still enjoyed the place but it wouldn't cost them anything for me to go out there and the good PR is certainly worth something to them.
makes me think of the hotel bit: nothing worse for a hotel than an empty room
i wonder if a "Priceline" for golf courses could work, something where unused tee times get sold for a reduced fee....