Brora - but its not in America so doesn't answer the question.

 I'd be glad to build a "Tom Doak trail" in Nebraska, but I've been assured by those in the know that if we did build it, it would lose money.  

I'll work for free if that'll help get you out here someday.  

What's the best course in the world where the highest visitor / guest fee is less than US $100?  

I think the answer to this question is probably Highlands Links. I played there about 4 years ago and it cost about 70 bucks a round. However, back in those days, before the American dollar went to shit, it would have probably been like 50 bucks for you Americans. I'm sure there aren't many courses that could arguably be in the world top 50 that are that affordable.

Rustic has been mentioned already several times and I'll throw my lot in for that choice. Especially for the area it's in, it's a great deal for the quality of course. Price or no price, it's one of my favs.

I would throw Soule Park in there as well. It's even cheaper than RC ($45 to walk on weekends) and is a wonderful course.
 

The best I've played:

New Mexico:
Paa-Ko Ridge ($99...barely!)
Black Mesa
Pinon Hills (under $50 I believe still)

Indiana:
Sultan's Run
Rock Hollow
The Fort
Warren GC
(many others that I haven't played).

If Tullymore in Michigan is still under $100 (was also $99 two years ago) I would include that one, but I would guess its probably gone up.

I would put every one of those courses in the top 20% of courses I've played, some top 10%.

As to the original premise... I don't see how a great golf course in the US could remain Blue Collar.  However, I think there are plenty of good to very good golf courses in every region that will.
...

Wouldn't Bethpage Black have been < $100 for all if the USGA hadn't come in and caused them to mess up their fee structure?
 

Garland:

I'm sort of sad there haven't been more courses nominated which fit my definition of "great".

The best of the ones listed, such as Highlands Links (although it's in Canada), remain relatively inexpensive because of remoteness and often because of maintenance/management issues.  If they'd get their act straightened out and fix that stuff, they'd probably also raise their prices.  The same was true of Bethpage when I was in high school.

I do agree with Greg Murphy that many courses go wrong by building great facilities that have nothing to do with golf, and ultimately the golfers have to pay for them -- the golfers, or the bank which financed the course.

...
Can we separate the game from the bloat?

Isn't that what we are doing? Golf is losing popularity because of the bloat. Golfers are staying away because of the bloat. More courses are closing than opening. At some time, I hope the bloat will collapse and we will go back to the game without the bloat, or I am afraid we will be left with a bloated game for the few.

See my signature line. I am sure I would be happier playing The Links of ND than any of the bloated CCFADs.

Brad Klein,

I love Wild Horse, but, as I understand it, it's owned by a government or government agency and may enjoy the benefit of being the beneficiary of a taxing authority which would allow it to remain financially viable in uncertain times.

Tom Doak,

In thinking about your post, I don't know if it's possible to achieve your goal of good, affordable golf on a recent design.

Costs have to be accounted for.

The cost to acquire, design, build and maintain is substantial.
Hence, even if you wanted to break even, I can't see offering the product at give away prices.

At older clubs, where the acquisition, design and construction costs have already been amortized, maintainance doesn't come cheap at courses where the public expects TV and PGA Tour like conditions.

Developers, while they have a love of the game, understand the significance of the bottom line.
Your dealings with Mike Pascucci, along with the references in the Sebonack book and DVD should reinforce the fact that you can't ignore or be oblivious to the financial realities.

I think that the "American" model may be broken or seriously flawed.

I see clubs that try to be all things to all people.
Look at the clubhouses that golfers EXPECT.
Look at the maintainance facilities, some equiped with dorms to house the help, look at the cost of equipment, labor, insurance, etc, etc..

The game has long ceased running on a shoestring.

Dick Youngscap happened to build his dream on land that some regard as the best land for golf in America.  And, while the land is relatively inexpensive, he had to buy thousands of acres in order to get what he wanted, and even then, he had to buy additional acreage to get the finished product that C&C wanted.

Likewise, Mike Keiser didn't just buy 280 acres.
And, while he may enjoy some economies of scale with respect to maintaining 3, 4 or 5 courses, he's got a substantial nut to crack every year and can't be charitable with green fees.

Lastly, Golf has NEVER been a blue collar game.
Horseshoes, darts, cards and bar shuffleboard are blue collar games.

Certain sports, like golf are costly to provide, and getting costlier,  hence I don't see anything that would want to make a non-governmentally owned facility offer bargain prices.

Competition can drive down prices, but, I don't see too many public golf courses close to each other.

As long as clubhouses and collateral facilities are deemed important enough to pour money into, blue collar golf will be the exception rather than the rule.

I read somewhere that Mike Keiser began with a simple observation and belief—that most of America's great courses are private, but if courses like National Golf Links and Cypress Point were public they would be big winners. He didn't hire consultants to tell him that, in fact he avoided getting that kind of advice because he knew anyone he hired would tell him he was crazy. The rest is history.

Could history be remade, only at the $50/round level? My gut tells me it could. Am I crazy?

If great means gaining notiriety and national attention then no....because the cost of promoting such a course on a national level could exceed the cost a reasonable greenfee......no different than local "top" restaurants that each little town has......hidden gems will always be hidden by their nature...no need to try and change them....IMHO

  Well there is a Doak Trail..  It starts SW of Gaylord on C-38 goes west to US 131/M66, southwest to M72 and goes west to end at Acme..  

p.s. we like to play Grandview along the way, coming or going (off M72 near Kalkaska), mostly just the back 9.. not great but entertaining..

blue collar golf interest is having fun with friends, getting outside, living and breathing in a natural setting, not much more really.. gca.. yeh, its a neat course setting, gotta have some game..