Golf in 2009 - On a Shoestring Budget

[Sean_A]

I am sad to say that I couldn't recommend four courses within 50 miles of me which can be had for £134.50 - including the petrol, water and chocolate. 

I could have done it quite easily in Ann Arbor. 

Day 1

Hunters Ridge  ~$35
Leslie Park  ~$35


Day 2

Brae Burn  ~$30
UofM $50 with an alumn etc.


Thats $150 for four courses I would recommend.  You will need $25 for gas and $10 for water and chocolate.  Total, $185.  Theres enough left to take the Mrs out for a load of gut bombs if you don't love her.  BTW: none of my green fees are based on some scam winter/twilight rates.  These are full whack weekday rates.

I can't believe the green fees for these courses.  I don't think they have changed in the 10 years I have been gone.  Its a sad business to be in for a Michigander.

Ciao

[Ronald Montesano]

Being the Hartford of New York, Buffalo is simple...

Diamond Hawk (Hurdzan-Fry)-$20 2-5 walking M-F
Harvest Hill (Hurdzan-Fry)-$35 w/cart-after 4 M-F
Arrowhead (GCA's Scott Witter)-$35 nearly anytime
Glen Oak (RTJ 1)-$37 Twilight or early bird
Ironwood (Witter, again)-$21 walking
Byrncliff (Tryon)-$25 w/cart after 1
Links at Ivy Ridge-$35 w/cart, often

Total=$198

[John Moore II]

So I'm in a little bit different situation than most, but I'd play Pine Needles 4 times. Maybe 3 and try to get on #2 through some contacts.

Great question, but $200 is a little tight for four rounds of decent golf, even in a recession.

My first thought is Wild Horse four times, but it would cost me $500 to get there....so...

I would drive to Pinehurst on a Tuesday, 4 hour drive from DC then:

Southern Pines CC
Tobacco Road
UNC - Finely (with my Alumni card discount :-)
The Pit (and carry a cooler on the cart :-)

Better hope you play those 4 in big time off season. Southern Pines runs near $90 in season now I think. And TR is near $125 in season. Alum discount at Finley would be good, and at the Pit you'd need that cooler just to get around, they aught to pay, not charge, people to play that course. I'll never go back there. I guess if you play in January, you could get on those 4 for less than $200, but certainly not while in season.

[John Burzynski]

How small is that green at Waverly in the pic above?  If I scale it to the people walking behind the green, it looks to be 18 x 36....FEET!

[John Moore II]

How small is that green at Waverly in the pic above?  If I scale it to the people walking behind the green, it looks to be 18 x 36....FEET!

And from the looks of it, I might also ask if you can really putt on it. The green looks to have a very severe back to front slope.

[Garland Bayley]

How about
Aspen Lakes, Sisters, OR $40
Black Butte Ranch, Sisters, OR $39 after 3pm
Juniper, Redmond, OR $60
Eagle Crest, Redmond, OR $49 twilight

[astavrides]

Might I suggest New Mexico.

Black Mesa, Paa Ko Ridge, UNM, and ... I'll go with Twin Warriors.  Stay in or around Santa Fe in a Motel 6.

You get away with 4 rounds under budget AND cheap lodging.

Quality / price is pretty good I'd say.

 

Might I suggest that these would have to be 4 9 holes rounds.  He said total of $200, not $200 a piece.

[Scott Coan]

How small is that green at Waverly in the pic above?  If I scale it to the people walking behind the green, it looks to be 18 x 36....FEET!

And from the looks of it, I might also ask if you can really putt on it. The green looks to have a very severe back to front slope.

John M. & John B,
This is the green from another angle.  It has reasonable back to front slope (and the size is probably as suggested) however as you can see from the picture, the sheep play a big part in the maintenance of this course and with the greens recieving only the occasional machine mow, they run at about a 6foot.  Once the pace is adjusted to they are suprisingly true considering.  The course however is layed over some unbelievable land and for $10 (US $5.20) it is some of the best value golf on the planet.  Ricky Bartlett, a keen NZer who recently played all 431 courses in NZ for charity rated it amongst his favourites.

[Ken Moum]

the sheep play a big part in the maintenance of this course

I'm beginning to think that the presence of sheep poop is a reasonable criteria for fun golf.

Ken

[John Nixon]

Hamilton County north of Indy has lots of well known courses and is less than 2 hours away.  Lots of courses by Pete dye and other well known architects there, and most all of them are reasonably priced if you walk.

There's a nice collection of public courses strung along the north side of the Indianapolis area. You could do:

The Trophy Club (Liddy) - currently $29/weekday
Purgatory (Kern) - $40
Bear Slide - morning special - $39
Eagle Creek (early Dye) - two courses, around $25-30 each
The Fort (later Dye) - $60ish

More expensive options, but still keeping within the total budget:
Prairie View (RTJ Jr) - $90
Brickyard Crossing (Dye) - $90, $55 twilight

If you're really a tightwad:

Coffin (Liddy) - $20 to walk
Eagle Creek - see above
Sahm (early, early Dye muni) - $18
Wood Wind (aka Bent Tree, aka Hanging Tree)(Kern) - $25