Have Some Courses Jumped the Shark

[Tim Martin]

I have heard reports of 9-10 hour rounds on occasion.

All I can say in reply to this assertion is C知on Man

[Stewart Abramson]

There are still some relative bargains to be had. I've booked a trip to the southeast of England later this year playing 9 courses. DS 6's to 9's. All but one are top 30-ish in England including a couple top 10's. Average green fee is under 140 GBP (approx $165). Round trip airfare (Coach) NY to London, including golf clubs and luggage is $775. Accommodations in nice B&Bs, small hotels and Princes Lodge, single occupancy with breakfast included averages well under $200/night. 

[David_Tepper]

"There are still some relative bargains to be had."

American golfers visiting GB&I have no doubt benefited greatly from the strength of the U.S. dollar vs. the British Pound and the Euro over the past 5-10 years. From its high over $2.00 around 2008, the Pound ($1.21 this morning) has declined over 40% in value vs. the dollar. This has kept golf in the UK reasonably priced for visiting Americans.

It will be interesting to see how strong the appetite is for American golfers traveling to the UK should the Pound appreciate in value substantially (+30% to 50%) vs. the dollar.

[Kalen Braley]

I have heard reports of 9-10 hour rounds on occasion.

All I can say in reply to this assertion is C知on Man

I'll second this one.  Longest round I've ever played was roughly 5:45 and that was agonizing, couldn't even imagine 9-10, much less how the course logistics would work.  10-15 groups stacked up on 1 tee?

[Stewart Abramson]

I have heard reports of 9-10 hour rounds on occasion.

All I can say in reply to this assertion is C知on Man

I'll second this one.  Longest round I've ever played was roughly 5:45 and that was agonizing, couldn't even imagine 9-10, much less how the course logistics would work.  10-15 groups stacked up on 1 tee?

At 9-10 hours the cost per minute is very reasonable

[Tommy Williamsen]

It makes Vail look cheap at $260 for a lift ticket.

The break-even for my season pass at Homewood (Tahoe) is about three or four days!  Ikon (Squaw/Alpine) is about the same.  The b/e years ago on a season pass used to be six or seven days.

I have the Epic pass and for the five weeks I am here my break-even point was four days. I now have averaged $30 a day.

[Edward Glidewell]

I have heard reports of 9-10 hour rounds on occasion.

All I can say in reply to this assertion is C知on Man

I'll second this one.  Longest round I've ever played was roughly 5:45 and that was agonizing, couldn't even imagine 9-10, much less how the course logistics would work.  10-15 groups stacked up on 1 tee?

I once showed up for a tee time at municipal course in Atlanta and there were 5 groups ahead of us waiting to tee off on 1. For some reason we still tried to play (I wouldn't do that now), but I think we teed off at least 45 minutes after our tee time and we quit after 9 holes. It would have been a 6+ hour round, but still nowhere near 9.

[Cal Carlisle]

I have heard reports of 9-10 hour rounds on occasion.

All I can say in reply to this assertion is C知on Man

I'll second this one.  Longest round I've ever played was roughly 5:45 and that was agonizing, couldn't even imagine 9-10, much less how the course logistics would work.  10-15 groups stacked up on 1 tee?

At 9-10 hours the cost per minute is very reasonable

Stewart,


That made me laugh. I guess there's an upside to just about everything!

[Matthew Rose]

I'm having flashbacks to high school and the shotgun start I played in with three groups per hole.

Yowza. Waits on par threes were like 40 minutes.

[Scott Warren]

You can always come to Barnbougle for $85:)
10 rounds for the price of one!

Have you bought an overseas air ticket in the past few months?  I just did and I could have played the TPC at Sawgrass about a dozen times for what it cost me to get to Australia and New Zealand!

Betting that you flew First or at least Business and that you built it into your contract somehow.

First world problem.

Indeed, and luckily I had four clients to split the bill.  Even so, there have been several suggestions here about flying overseas to play golf, and the cost of flying, just like golf, is markedly higher nowadays, even in coach.

My wife and I flew from Sydney to Europe return with our two kids in the northern summer of 2019 for AU$5200. It was a good deal, but there were plenty of options around $6k.


The same flights this year are upwards of $12,000.


We are waiting until prices come down but who knows how long that will be?!

[jeffwarne]

Many years ago, as we were driving by and mocking a certain overseas highly touted course, a very well written and well spoken friend said to me.
"Never underestimate the value of a good asshole trap-keeps the hidden gems hidden"
Truer words were never spoken, and it has never been more true.


There are plenty of good values out there if you tune out the noise and "must see" places the belt notchers and commission driven tour operators would have you visit.