Where is golf not affordable?

[Tim_Weiman]

I live in Vienna, VA - ground zero in one of the nation's richest counties. While we're not a public golf Mecca in terms of "great" courses, we have decent municipal options. No Ross or Raynor here, but everything from par threes to legit 7000+ championship level courses. They range from dog tracks to pretty damn nice courses (Forest Greens and Laurel Hill). All rates below are regular, in-season, walking, except where indicated. Some have junior and senior discounts.


Fairfax County Park Authority has seven courses:

• Burke Lake (range + 18 hole par three, 2415 yards): $24-34
• Greendale: $40-49
• Jefferson District (9 hole executive): $27-32
• Laurel Hill (2013 Publinks was held here): $89-119 w/cart
• Oakmont (range + 9 hole par three): $24-27
• Pinecrest (9 hole executive, 2462 yards): $27-32
• Twin Lakes (two 18 hole courses): $51-85

Town of Herndon:

• Herndon Centennial: $38-54

Northern Virginia Park Authority has three courses:

• Algonkian: $56-74.50
• Brambleton: $57-75
• Pohick Bay: $56-74.50

Prince William County has three courses:

• Forest Greens: $40-79 w/cart
• Lake Ridge (9 hole par three): $20
• Prince William: $40-54

Tim

Tim,


Thanks for your post. I was hoping someone would check in with data on Northern Virginia. I’d call that area affordable.


Tim Weiman

I guess we have different ides of affordable golf, those prices average $55 per round, at 2 rounds per week, thats $440 USD per month, plus there is nothing compelling about any of those golf courses.


For that monthly price, you could join a Melbourne sanbelt club and most links clubs all over the UK...

Stephen,


A couple things:


It looks like the courses in Fairfax County cost about $30 to play. Per Google, the average annual income in Fairfax County is about $65,000. Thus playing once per week will cost about 2 percent of family income; twice per week about 4 percent.


This assumes playing about 9 months out of the year.


Are these “compelling” golf courses? Don’t know. But is playing a “compelling” course a reasonable part of the definition of affordable golf?


Many times I have written posts about golf in Cleveland, OH. Sure, there are some well known private clubs, even major championship sites, e.g., Canterbury.


But in my opinion what really distinguishes Cleveland is the volume of affordable golf. There is a slew of “Mom and Pops”, privately owned courses built after World War 2.


Are any “compelling” from an architecture point of view? Not in my opinion. Do they get a lot of play? Yes, they do, by local middle class working people who I’m pretty sure enjoy them very much.


As for Melbourne, obviously it is one of the great places in the world of golf. What is the initiation fee for the private clubs that one can play for $440 a month?

[Matthew Delahunty]

[
As for Melbourne, obviously it is one of the great places in the world of golf. What is the initiation fee for the private clubs that one can play for $440 a month?

$USD440 per month is about $AUD8,000 per annum.  I doubt any private Sandbelt club would have annual dues that high (although some might soon be nudging that).  Entrance fees for the top level Sandbelt clubs range between $10,000 and $25,000 (or in USD $6,500 to $16,000).

[Tim_Weiman]

[
As for Melbourne, obviously it is one of the great places in the world of golf. What is the initiation fee for the private clubs that one can play for $440 a month?

$USD440 per month is about $AUD8,000 per annum.  I doubt any Sandbelt club would have annual dues that high (although some might soon be nudging that).  Entrance fees for the top level Sandbelt clubs range between $10,000 and $25,000 (or in USD $6,500 to $16,000).

Matthew,


When I was in Melbourne a while back, I played the Sandringham Golf Course which is right across the street from Royal Melbourne.


“Compelling”? No. Decent and affordable? Yes.


I’m not sure I fully understand the relationship between Sandringham golf course and Sandy Links, but it sounds like one can get an annual subscription for $150.


Of course it isn’t one of the noteworthy Sandbelt courses, but that kind of fee isn’t bad for the average working class person who wants to play once a week.

[Tim_Weiman]

Matthew,


I also looked an annual membership deals for Brighton public golf course in Melbourne.


For a full 7 day per week annual membership: $1569
For a 5 day per week “pensioner” membership: $839


Seems pretty good to me.


Tim

[Matthew Delahunty]

Tim,


Sandringham and Brighton golf courses are both well establish municipal golf courses.  Sandringham underwent a renovation by OCM 4 years ago with government money as it is now the home of Golf Australia. 


Since the renovation, Sandringham is probably the best public course in the suburban Melbourne area.  It costs $AUD67 for a weekend round.  For someone playing twice a week, they're better off financially to join one of the dozen private clubs within 20 minutes' drive as they'd be spending about the same annually at a private club with the benefits that go with being a member of private club.


$AUD67 for a course of Sandringham's standard and conditioning would be considered good value in the US. 


I think the $150 gets your membership of the club which plays there but you'd have to pay green fees on top of that.  The $150 probably gets you a handicap, some priority tee times, newsletter and the ability to play in their competitions.


Brighton is a step down from Sandringham, but good value for those who are happy to play a course of that standard.


South East Melbourne is blessed with lots of good courses and, so, its a competitive market.

[archie_struthers]

 


At the Jersey Shore (south) it's really gotten expensive. Most of the privates are oversubscribed with a waiting list and initiation fees are as high as 50k


Not many affordable courses left as prices at the publics can be over $100 in season


Just went on line and looked up some of the best public golf courses and prices weekday were (approximately)


Avalon GC.                   $95
Ballamor GC.                $99
Harbor Pines.                $88
Blue Heron                   $85
Cape May National         $95
Twisted Dune                  $80




Just randomly searched. But that’s pretty expensive for weekday (in season).   

[Tim_Weiman]

At the Jersey Shore (south) it's really gotten expensive. Most of the privates are oversubscribed with a waiting list and initiation fees are as high as 50k


Not many affordable courses left as prices at the publics can be over $100 in season


Just went on line and looked up some of the best public golf courses and prices weekday were (approximately)


Avalon GC.                   $95
Ballamor GC.                $99
Harbor Pines.                $88
Blue Heron                   $85
Cape May National         $95
Twisted Dune                  $80




Just randomly searched. But that’s pretty expensive for weekday (in season).   

Archie,


Wow! That is expensive. I’m trying to rehabilitate my golf game by playing nine holes three times a week. I paid $10.40 this week at Big Met, one of the Cleveland Metroparks courses.


Tim