[Ran Morrissett]

And no, that's not the name of the club   but at $14.00 for an out-of-towner to play the Wilmington Golf Course in NC, I doubt there is a better value in the country.

Its bunker restoration project is one of the more remarkable collaborative efforts I've heard of and many clubs could learn a lot from how this municipal course is run/maintained.

Cheers,

[Walker Taylor, IV]

Ran,
Thank you very much for your review of one of Wilmington's treasures.  The city staff and the residents are very proud and protective of this gem of a course.  Glad that you found it to your liking as well.
Besides the cool bunkering featured in your review, the routing that Ross did is nearly perfect (big surprise!)don't you think?
Thanks again and see you soon.

[ForkaB]

Ran and Walker

This is a great story which gives me hope for the future of golf in the US.

[Mike_Cirba]

WOW!

Bunkers that look that FABULOUS and NATURAL for only $3,000 per bunker???!!!

There must be a much wider range of costs for restoration work than I'm aware of...

Why, just the other day, in talking about the reasons Merion was wise and cost-conscious to just create modern-looking bunkers instead of going through all the hassle and expense to do otherwise, it was BarnyF who stated;

"I applaud any membership for using modern construction techniques with respect to building and maintaining any project. I don't know anything about Merion's finances but I don't think anyone would want or expect them to spend $1,000,000 per bunker just so the course does not appear to have been touched."

Who knew??  

It looks as though Prichard did a wonderful job at Wilmington.  That certainly bodes well for Aronomink and others.

[Ran Morrissett]

Rich/Mike,

Playing Wilmington Golf Course really reminds me of the common sense appproach that is employeed by UK clubs (or at least by 99% of the UK clubs that are off the beaten track) in maintaining their courses - the tees are OK, the fairways are firm and the lie is generally good, and the putting surfaces are good. Nothing is excellent NOR DOES IT NEED TO BE. The bunkers exist in their naturally scruffy state and the remaining non-playing surfaces only receive sporadic attention.

One logical consequence of this more sensible approach of NOT OVER-MAINTAINING is that an annual fee to be a member of a Royal North Devon or where ever is approximately 15% of what it costs in the U.S.

The hundreds of millions of dollars that are wasted on over-maintaining golf courses in this country makes me sick. I truly feel sorry for Green Keepers who are forced by their clubs to maintain courses to what has become an absurd and unnaturally manicured state in the U.S.

Cheers,

[Mike Ventola]

Very well written, wonderful course profile.
(No wonder your game has slipped a bit )
I wonder if it can take more than 79,000 rounds a year?  Demand for affordable golf vs. Supply?

[RJ_Daley]

Ran, perhaps when it becomes fashionable to show ones good taste and accumen as a measure of frugality and value purchasing/consumption, then places like Wilmington and Wild Horse and Southern Pines will be held in higher esteem to be modelled after in their style and practices.

But, if it continues to be avant-gard and a show of success here in U.S., to join country clubs at 500K a membership sporting attack dogs for security, or frequent CCFADs that hand out chilled honey dew flavored towels by an on-course wait-staff, and where an unraked bunker is a sign of chaos and disharmony...  well the afore mentioned modest courses should remain just our little secret and hope they stay around forever.  We have the "National" and "Links" (ANGC-NGLA) and "Royal" (RM-RStG) acronym designations.  I like your ABV-GC.  It's as good a BDAW archies  

[Slag_Bandoon]

 A great and inspiring story about golf going in a positive direction for the enjoyment of the game.

[Paul Richards]

Two of the best low-priced, high-quality
courses that I know of are:

1.  Bethpage Black - we paid $24 for this
awesome place (1999).

2.  Murphy Creek, Denver - $30 to walk on weekdays (last week).

[Matt_Ward]

Good mention of the Bethpage Black since it is located in the $$ price NY Metro area.

Would also mention the following courses:

1). Paa Ko Ridge (outside Albuquerque), fees is less than $50 with quality golf and surroundings (for those who value them) that are second to none. Selected by GD as the best affordable course last year. An sbolute winner

2). Pinon Hills (Farmington , NM). You can get a full season of golf for less than $500!!! Superb Ken Dye design.

3). Painted Dunes Desert GC (El Paso, TX) Another superb Ken Dye design and a solid course that features an array of obstacles from heavy wind on most days and a variety of well placed hazards. Green fees don't even touch $30.

4). Old Works (Anaconda, Montana). The only Nicklaus design course that does not require a credit card to play.

[John_Conley]

El Diablo, near Citrus Springs and Beverly Hills, Florida won the award from GD as best new (under $50) and is wonderful.

[aclayman]

I'm glad to see this thread. It's proof that we as consumers, if we do our diligence, can find golf for a reasonable sum. The kings ransom that has been prevelant is insulting.

If this site can do any "real" good it would be to educate the masses that golf need not be the "high maintanence" activity so many of the mollycoddlers think they need.

 

[Lee Wagner]

Don't forget that Painted Dunes has a "North" nine designed by Jeff Brauer that is a lot of fun. I have been the regional superintendent for this property for two years and am moving my office there on Monday. Our maintenance practices will follow traditional golf philosophies. Also you can walk this course and our twilight rate is about $15 year round. We even overseed fairways in the winter. Take that Scottsdale!

[Solario]

In my great state of Indiana lies the hidden gem called Harrison Hills.  It is just outside of Lafayette, and about an hours drive from Indianapolis. I believe it is under 40 bucks to play with a cart.  Most people would not believe the size of some the bunkers.  The course was restored in 1995 by local architect Tim Liddy.  The land he was given to build another nine wasn't the best, but he did a good job.  Some of the orignal holes are spectacular.  I had a tournament out there this past summer and my approach shot to the 15th green was the scariest shot I faced this hole summer, (even scarier then the final shots I hit this summer to win a few tourneys.)

Also to reply to a comment about El Diablo earlier... I think that course is horrible.  From the back tees its boring and long.  No real strategy to the course.  It was such a disapointment I didn't know if I could trust Golf Digest's rankings anymore.  I also didnt agree with Trophy Club be rated as the 4th Best New Course in the nation that year.  It's a good course, but not that good.

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