Wild Horse and other cheap courses...

[Yannick Pilon]

In his thread regarding the Don Graham feature interview, Ran Morissett made the following comment:

A few courses - probably less than ten -  have opened in the past decade that have virtually escaped criticism and been universally praised. Wild Horse is one of those courses world wide.
...
As the world leader in number of golf course construction projects, the United States has presented woefully few courses/clubs like Wild Horse that are worth emulating.

Which other courses/clubs would compare to Wild Horse in terms of quality vs. cheap green fee prices?

In can only think of Rustic Canyon as another example, but there must be other, less publicized, courses like that out there, right?

[Dan_Callahan]

Depends on what you mean by cheap. Cheap in the Northeast is probably considered expensive by folks in the Midwest. For example, Wintonbury Hills in Connecticut is a tremendous value, but plunk the same course down in Kansas and charge $50 on a weekday and it wouldn't be put in the "cheap" category.

[Yannick Pilon]

Dan,

I guess what I mean is good value....  What other courses out there offer a similar quality vs price ratio.

Wild Horse and Rustic Canyon seem to be in a league of their own.  I am just curious about finding other examples that would be similar to those two.

Yannick

[Jordan Wall]

In Washington its Gold Mountain.

Possibly not so knwn on this site but 35$ on weekends right now with a 20$ price after 12:00.  Junior rates too, and 50$ on weekends during summer.

The best quality vs. price course I have ever seen!

Amittedly though, I have never seen Wild Horse or Rustic Canyon

[PCCraig]

One that I can think of is Aldeen Golf Course in Rockford, IL.

The exact specifics of the story are a little hazy but I believe what happened was a wealthy bank executive passed away and set up a trust designed to build and help fund this golf course.

I want to say it was built in the early 90's by Dick Nugent, it's hard to compare it to a place like Wild Horse, but for $25 green fees it's not too bad. They hold the "Tradition" there, a fairly large junior tourney, every year.

In case you want to check it out;

   www.aldeengolfclub.com

[David Kelly]

C&C's The Warren Course at Notre Dame comes to mind.  Here's their fee structure:
http://www.nd.edu/%7Ewarrengc/Course/rates.htm

[Yannick Pilon]

Wow,

Any course that you can play under 40 bucks from Coore & Crenshaw has got to be one of the biggest deal in golf!

[Dan Moore]

One that I can think of is Aldeen Golf Course in Rockford, IL.

The exact specifics of the story are a little hazy but I believe what happened was a wealthy bank executive passed away and set up a trust designed to build and help fund this golf course.

I want to say it was built in the early 90's by Dick Nugent, it's hard to compare it to a place like Wild Horse, but for $25 green fees it's not too bad. They hold the "Tradition" there, a fairly large junior tourney, every year.

In case you want to check it out;

   www.aldeengolfclub.com

Pat great call.  This is one of my favorite courses in the Chicago area if you can call 1 1/2 hours away in the area.  


Oak Grove is another near Harvard Illinois which I think is  better than Aldeen.    Architect Steve Halberg.

http://www.oakgrovegolfcourse.com/home/index.php

=http://www.golf-architects.com/

Ten minutes away from Oak Grove is another great value course by Joe Lee "Plum Tree National."  

http://www.plumtreegolf.com/

[Brian Noser]

http://www.golfwcgc.com/

This course in Wisconson was nice we played it in college, anyone else play here? it was one of my favorites we played. I also played aldeen in college and we played a course in tuscola, Ill called Ironhorse it was cheap and very nice.

[Pete Lavallee]

Yannick,

I would include Gil Hanse's Tallgrass on Long Island in that group; probably $40 during the week and great fun.

[Dan Moore]

http://www.golfwcgc.com/

This course in Wisconson was nice we played it in college, anyone else play here? it was one of my favorites we played. I also played aldeen in college and we played a course in tuscola, Ill called Ironhorse it was cheap and very nice.

I never played that one but its very close to where Erin Hills is located.  

Lawsonia could be added to the list too.  

[A_Clay_Man]

Pinon Hills qualifies.

 After reading the definition of what constitutes a ten on the Doak scale, I'd say Black Mesa easily qualifies.

[Sean_A]

While I wouldn't call these courses cheap I would say they are world class value.

1. Enniscrone-this kind of quality with a fabulous setting for under $70 is crazy talk.
2. Carne-damn near as good as above and under $70 (often under $50 if one pays attention to deals).

Not far behind are Machrihanish and Pennard, both for less than $70.

Lastly there is Perranporth.  Well under $70 on a weekend.  Too good to be true.

In the States all of these courses would be frightfully expensive and play would be drastically slower.  

Ciao

Sean

[Andy Troeger]

C&C's The Warren Course at Notre Dame comes to mind.  Here's their fee structure:
http://www.nd.edu/%7Ewarrengc/Course/rates.htm

Warren is a good choice. But for Indiana I don't think Rock Hollow can be beat as a wonderful value. Its about the same cost (maybe even a little less) and I prefer the course other than having to drive down there!

[Jason Hines]

Bonjour Yannick,

Let me take this a step further, are we asking nominal dollars per round?  Quality holes for the money?  Or local (real dollars) per hole?

There are a couple of ways to look at this good question.  If you are looking at good value per quality hole, WH is one of the best in the world.  However, you are also looking at an area of the country where you can live on 35k USD per year and a decent muni is under $20 to play.  To most people in Nebraska, 35 bucks to walk is not cheap.

Pete's example of Tallgrass on Long Island (which I have never played and is probably a good course) 40 nominal dollars for 18 holes on Long Island is a true bargain.  So would Sean's Enniscrone and Carne be local bargains as well.  

IMHO, most locals still see WH as a bargain when quality per hole is factored.  $425 USD per year for dues, is what most of us (even in Omaha, 400 km away) pay for our locker dues at a private club.

Jason

[Norbert P]

  Royal Husum Hills National TPC in Husum, Washington is FREE until further notice.  Please replace your divots, fix pitch marks and do not walk on frosted grass. Alcohol must be brought onto the course as the clubhouse is closed.  You may be asked to leave, without refund, if you are found sober. No carts until March and please pick up after your dog Fido.  

[PCCraig]

Another very good call is the Warren Course at ND. Really fun course, and the whole "no par" makes it very unique.

[Norbert P]

Or . . .  Bandon, any course as of this posting, is $90 with a $45 replay.  

E=MC2    (It's all relative.)

[Steve_ Shaffer]

Relative cost is a function of geography.

Another course of high quality and remotely located which I hope to play this summer is Rochelle Ranch in Rawlins, WY

www.rochelleranch.com

[Norbert P]

  Steve, That looks like an interesting one.  I love those sponsorship photos.   Opens in April.  Hmmm, maybe if I stick to playing the free golf at Husum until then I can swing a trip out there.  One more for the Plains States Trail!  

Perhaps it's time to invest in an RV.

[Evan Fleisher]

 Steve, That looks like an interesting one.  I love those sponsorship photos.   Opens in April.  Hmmm, maybe if I stick to playing the free golf at Husum until then I can swing a trip out there.  One more for the Plains States Trail!  

Perhaps it's time to invest in an RV.

EXACTLY!!!

One of the very reasons I've talked the wife into "upgrading" from a simple pop-up camper to a Class-C rig in the next several years.  Talk about a golf-mobile!