Praire Dunes and the pricing of national memberships

[Sean Leary]

Sean,

I think that like with Colonial's bent grass greens, the gunch at PD is part of the lore and tradition of the club and not likely to change no matter how much it would improve playability and enjoyment.  I suspect that the supt.  encourages the gunch, or at least allows fertilizer and irrigation water to gravitate to the likely foul zones.

Set to join the club based on reports by Brad and others, I played two rounds at PD in 2006 with two members who were excellent golfers and we didn't come close to breaking 80.  They stated that thinning the gunch as well as adding a few back tees were being discussed, but both issues were very divisive.  I liked the routing and major design features of the course, but not its penal nature, so I didn't pull the trigger.

I returned in 2006, played four rounds with three other guys, and we didn't have a single round in the 70s.  The gunch was even higher and thicker than I remembered.  I haven't thought about joining since, and it is not a real bad drive from Dallas.  But why change if things appear to be working just fine as evidenced by a waiting list for Natl. members?

 

Lou,

Actually, they actively try to keep it as thin as possible within cost reason. They do a burn every couple of years, and they consistantly work on removing and tree like plants when they can. I have played it right after the burn, and you wouldn't believe how fast it grows. But there is a cost to thinning it so they can't make it a monthly project.

Many members may be proud of the gunch as it gives a short course more teeth but a lot are not. And I think all would be happier if the gunch were more playable, if nothing else. No one likes losing golf balls.

[brad_miller]

Relating to the gunch, I suspect the best would be to ask C&C and Axland to look at getting rid of some of the nasty stuff that comes most into play, causes the most lost balls for a pretty fair shot and the result therefore speeds up play. Modestly doing this and the burning that they do would help. Over time it would probably not even be noticed. Should not effect USGA events and would make the course a lot more fun. Maybe Lou and his buddies would break 80.    As to the fairways, some could use a bit more width, but with many courses that host many USGA events narrower fairways seen to be here to stay. The great one down in Philly is a little like this. It will be interesting to see what comes of C&C work at Number Two, maybe that will change things a little, assuming what I have heard and sen in pictures is true, fairways are being expanded. All this said, one heck of a golf course.

[Patrick_Mucci]

Jeff,

Over the last five years it appears that some of the more well known clubs are offering National Memberships.

Inverness comes to mind.

I don't know the pricing of local vs national, but, I can find out.

It's smart marketing for well known clubs where members are difficult to find and retain.
Especially clubs that may be a little out of the way, such as Prairie Dunes and Inverness.