[Jason Topp]

On a somewhat annual basis, I plan a weekend winter golf trip with some Minnesota friends with the goal of creating the cheapest trip possible at a destination where one can largely count on the weather to be adequate for enjoyable golf.  (No missed days yet)  We probably will go in January or February this year which eliminates some past destinations which have included:

Tucson municipal courses
Texarkana
Robert Trent Jones Trail
Several shoulder season trips to Iowa

My record is $532 for air, hotel, rental car and 8 rounds of golf.

Apache Stronghold strikes me as the obvious candidate, but the course needs to at least be playable and I am not sure what the weather is like in Globe in January.

Other suggestions?

[Tom Huckaby]

Have you researched St. George, Utah?

Weather might be iffy in January but I don't think so....

Flight would be into Las Vegas - app. 2 hour drive from there.  Flights into Vegas are pretty damn cheap.  At least up until recently anyway there was lots of great golf in St. George at rock-bottom prices... January might be high season though.  I just do know my group did summer time trips that put your $532 total to shame.    But that was several years ago.

TH

[Jason Topp]

Tom - thanks for the idea.  The web site I found lists rates in the $75-$100 range.  Prices have apparently changed.

You really put $532 to shame?  My pride is wounded.  Did it include airfare and hotel?  I think we averaged $20-25 on green fees including carts for 5 of the 8 rounds.

[Tom Huckaby]

Jason - damn - apparently the world has discovered St. George.

And well... adding it all up... putting it to shame is kinda stretching it.  Back in the day, we got airfare for $78 rt, rental car was about $25 per man, and 4 day 3 night stay and all you can golf packages were $275 or so.  But we had a big group and shared vans - that brings rental cost down.  Also the courses back then were really dirt cheap, as you can see from the package price.  I guess it might have been off-season... it was rather hot....

 

[David_Tepper]

This might be a little pricey by your standards, but check out:

www.tubacgolfresort.com

[Tim Leahy]

San Diego area inland has plenty of inexpensive hotels not on the water and relatively inexpensive good golf courses or package resorts, Temecula Creek Inn for one. Great weather and nongolf stuff to do. Air fare is usually competitive, SW is cheap.

[Mike Benham]

I saw Cheap Trip in concert once ...

[Dan Kelly]

Jason --

Are there any courses near Branson? You could grab the empty seats on some senior-highrise bus! Maybe offer to be the entertainment en route -- telling stories from various King's Putters, Dixie Cups, etc.

Dan

[Tom Huckaby]

I want you to want...... me!

Mike - of guys our age, who didn't own Live at Budokan and who didn't make the necessary follow-up in seeing them in person?

Back to cheap golf trips though... Tim gives a good choice re San Diego but methinks our entire state here is not going to compete in terms of rock-bottom prices - not in January anyway.  Apache does seem to be a great call, but I too would worry about weather and course conditions.

How about Myrtle Beach?  Flight would be pricey but damn I always see crazy low package prices in winter off-season....

TH

[RJ_Daley]

Jason, you can fly to LA very cheap right now if you book it. Particularly from Minn where there are no connections, etc.  Then play Rustic C and Tommy can hook you up with some cheap stuff, I think.  Stay in a modest motel since you'll only sleep there anyway.  

Also, to the extent that probably can't guarantee the weather, but I spent a very comfortable week once in NC and SC in January.  Every day in 60s-low 70s.  I was told by locals that was unussual.  But, if you do, fly to Charlotte or R-D and play Southern Pines for very reasonable, then probably Tobacco has a good rate.  Also, that isn't far from Wilmington, muni that is reportedly cheap and good, and of course Myrtle has a bunch of deals that time of year.  I hear you can play some of the good ones for ~$25.

Bring a warm up and rain suit, you should be fine.

Or, you can take a road trip to Sutton Bay.... hell it probably don't get any colder than THAT DAY!!!  

[Geoffrey Childs]

For arranged packages I've never seen any cheaper then Myrtle Beach.

RJ- Tommy is working FULL time these days so I'd let him decide if he has the time to act as tour guide and organizer.

[Phil McDade]

Jason:

My father-in-law, who lives in southwestern Minnesota, has taken an annual trip w/ his buddies in late Feb./early March to Lawrence, Kansas. I don't have details on the courses, but he said there are some good ones there, temps are usually 50s to even low 60s on occasion, nice college town, some decent courses at the $25-$35 range w/ carts.

[Adam Clayman]

It's possible New Mexico could come close to that $532
But the quality of the golf is where the real value shines. Black Mesa & Pinon Hills should both be open as long as there isn't any significant snowfall within the preceeding weeks.

Otherwise as Dr. Childs says, Myrtle Beach is a good bet for on the cheap in the off season.

Then play Rustic C and Tommy can hook you up with some cheap stuff, I think.  

Dr. Childs, Certainly Tommy hooking someone up isn't the same as accompanying them, is it?

[Tom Huckaby]

Dr. Childs?  Who mentioned Myrtle Beach first?  I am deeply hurt and offended.

 

[Geoffrey Childs]

Dr. Childs, Certainly Tommy hooking someone up isn't the same as accompanying them, is it?

Adam

Certainly Tommy's time is his own and he should be the one to make the offer.   Sometimes we take poor Tommy and his good nature for granted.  Let him set his own schedule.

[Geoffrey Childs]

Dr. Childs?  Who mentioned Myrtle Beach first?  I am deeply hurt and offended.

 

Adam is deeply sorry.  He will set up your next golf trip for you.

[Tom Huckaby]

 

Now I have this going for me, which is nice.

TH

[Adam Clayman]

Mea Culpa Sir Thomas of Hucabian fame.

It would indeed be my honor and pleasure to set-up your next trip.

I have the perfect venue for all of us true geeks who just love the sport and want to expand our horizons on both ends of the spectrum.

When my in-line filter gets here, I will introduce everyone to a minimalist design that rivals Dannebrog. Cactus Heights in Big Springs.

[Tom Huckaby]

Adam - sounds great to me.

And congrats on the ace!

Bastard.

 

[Adam Clayman]

Jason, The green fee at CH is $3.00. We may have a contender.

[Doug Ralston]

Jason;

Another alternative is Southern Kentucky and Tennessee. We often head there during the Winter. There are great courses available. Dale Hollow Lake State Park in KY has an awesome one. Also in Tennesse there are some great publics, including Ross Creek Landing [Nicklaus 'Bear' Trail], Greystone, Stonehedge etc.

The prices will be under $40, i think, for all of those, and staying in the winter at the KY State Park Lodge is VERY cheap. Also, if you are a fisherman, Dale Hollow Lake is perhaps the best bass fishing on the Planet, and beautiful too!

Dan Kelly;

Yes, there are some great courses near Branson. Branson Creek s a top shelf Fazio, though rather steep, likely $125. On the other hand, just 60-70 miles south in Arkansas is Big Creek, a Golf Digest five star course and resort, and I think the cheapest ***** of all.

Doug

[PThomas]

And congrats on the ace!

Bastard.

 

ditto Adam...from another unfortunate member of the "Virgin re:  the making of an Ace Club"

[john_stiles]

We used to go to Myrtle Beach the first weekend after Thanksgiving,  when the prices traditionally dropped.

Good chance of reasonable weather, not too cold, can remember we had no morning delays at all.

Eat a big stack of pancakes at Dino's, play a bunch o' golf and then go to Martins afterwards.  In the really old days, we used to go to the Masters Table (?mark on the name) restaurant, the one with all the golf memoriabilia and pretty good, excellent food.  That disappeared several years ago now.

Agreed.....the prices are very good in MB.

Depending on air fare situation,  you might also check on the Charleston area.  One routine now is to stay at Days Inn downtown, and drive locally to 'best' course for price. Plus there are a lot of night-time activities (food, drink, and otherwise) in downtown.  This probably will not break the unofficial price record above but is definitely not expensive.

[Jason Topp]

This might be a little pricey by your standards, but check out:

www.tubacgolfresort.com

Thanks David.  I've played Tubac many times.  It is a great spot, although the course has been compromised to add additional housing, eliminating 400 yards, some interesting holes and adding a goofy island green par three finisher that has a green the size of half a football field.  I definitely would compromise my monetary integrity to go to Rio Rico if we head that direction.

[Jason Topp]

Back to cheap golf trips though... Tim gives a good choice re San Diego but methinks our entire state here is not going to compete in terms of rock-bottom prices - not in January anyway.  Apache does seem to be a great call, but I too would worry about weather and course conditions.

How about Myrtle Beach?  Flight would be pricey but damn I always see crazy low package prices in winter off-season....

TH

I've defnitely thought of Myrtle Beach.  That will need to go on the potential list.  I'm a bit concerned about freezing there.

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