Pebble Beach: Raising rates????

[David Stamm]

Man, I'm glad I played it at $375 (before caddie and tip).


Stop and think about that for moment. $600. $700. $1000 for a round of golf. I find no fault with capitalism, but goodness that's alot for a round. Think about this:


What $1000 can get you in golf, non Pebble Beach wise. And remember, you virtually can't gurantee you'll get on without the $700 some odd per night stay which will get that time.



1) 4 rounds at any of the Bandon courses (Low season)
2) A California coastal excursion (green fees only) that   includes Pasatiempo, Harding Park, Sandpiper, Spyglass (which in of itself is very expensive) and Torrey Pines and I think there would be a little left over for Pacific Grove and Rustic if you wanted to head inland a bit.
3) I haven't checked the exchange rate lately so I'm guessing, but I think you can cover the green fee's for Ballybunion, Lahinch, RCD, Portrush and Portmarnock
4) I think you can do same for the following: SA, Dornoch, North Berwick, Cruden Bay, Royal Aberdeen and Carnoustie. You may have some left over and do other smaller courses, or blow the rest and do Kingsbarns.



I guess for some people, it's a "bag the elephant" thing. I love Pebble Beach immensely, but if it came to playing it again for $1000 or going somewhere where I haven't been like the places above, sorry Arnie and Clint.

[Adam Clayman]

I wonder if they will throw in some Mango scented towels, how about free ProV's?

This has to be music to Mr. Keiser's ears.

[mike_beene]

Before people stake their positions,I bet I am not the only one who is lucky to get 24 rounds a year at my club.At $600 a month that is $300 a round,never mind initiation fees.

[Mike Benham]

I heard a rumor the other day that the demand at Pebble is so great, that they are contemplating going to $700 per round and $1200 per nite for rooms.

Anybody have an info on this?

cary,

Why don't you ask the same person who spread the rumor.  Where did they hear the rumor?

mike

[Jay Flemma]

Ridiculous.  Pebble has become a caricature of itself.

[Jon Spaulding]

I just got the annual newsletter from PB; rates are up about 10% from last year for the standard package ($1700 for single with 2 nights hotel and 1 round @ PB, 1 round @ SB).

[Jerry Kluger]

I will tell you this, I've paid more than $300 to play some courses, not many, but a few, and I felt that the learning experience made it worthwhile.  I've seen PB hundreds of times on TV and think I know the course pretty well.  For some reason I don't feel compelled to play it at even the current prices.  I wouldn't pay that to play the courses in Las Vegas.  I would definitely pay the current rates to play the Bandon Courses because there are 3 courses with 3 architects and architecture that I want to see.  Once I've played them I don't know that I would go back.  

[Tim Gavrich]

Before people stake their positions,I bet I am not the only one who is lucky to get 24 rounds a year at my club.At $600 a month that is $300 a round,never mind initiation fees.

A fantastic point, and the reason why my father may be ditching the family's membership at our home course in CT in the near future.  He's figured that each of his rounds computes to about $320.  However, the other aspects of being a member of a private club ought to be taken into account.  But nonetheless, I don't think I'd ever pay $475, much less $700, for a round of golf unless I'd just hit the Powerball jackpot.

[Jim_Kennedy]

In 1980 an average CEO made 42 times that of a production worker. In 2004 that went up over ten-fold, to 431 to 1.
If the minimum wage followed such an increase a minimum wage job would pay around 20 bucks an hour and a trained production worker would be making an average of around 100k per year, instead of the 25k or so they average now.
If worker's wages were like the above, Pebble Beach, on occasion, would be worth 5, 6, or maybe even $700, across the board. In our present day reality, you have to be on the board to afford that kind of scratch.

It's a sad state of affairs when such an icon of American golf prices itself outside the reach of a large number of its admirers.

[Adam Clayman]

I will tell you this, I've paid more than $300 to play some courses, not many, but a few, and I felt that the learning experience made it worthwhile.  I've seen PB hundreds of times on TV and think I know the course pretty well.  For some reason I don't feel compelled to play it at even the current prices.  I wouldn't pay that to play the courses in Las Vegas.  I would definitely pay the current rates to play the Bandon Courses because there are 3 courses with 3 architects and architecture that I want to see.  Once I've played them I don't know that I would go back.  

Jerry, I feel your opinion is flawed. Watching PB on TV and playing it are two totally different matters. How else could they command the rates they do?

***Blatant hijack alert***
This won't make Mr. Keiser smile.
http://www.golfdigest.com/golfworld/columnists/2007/10/angrygolfer_20071016

[BigEdSC]

It seems like that we have this discussion from time to time when PB raises their rates.

To me, it doesn't matter whether PB raises their rates $1 or $1,000.  The bottom line is what they charge is what the market will bear.  There's not a person on this site that is happy with it, unless you own stock in the company, but until the teesheets at Pebble start showing consistent openings on them, they are going to charge what they think they can get.

The one time I played it, it seemed like a lot of corporate golf was being played.  I would think that if I owned a large corporation and if I could smooze one of my multimillion $$ customers at Pebble Beach, $500 would be money well spent.

Is it right?  I'm sure that it's debatable, but being brought up in a capitalistic society, the laws of supply and demand are usually not wrong when you are talking about gasoline or greens fees.

[Jerry Kluger]

Adam: Perhaps I wasn't clear with my point.  If I'm going to spend that much on golf I just don't feel that PB is where I want to spend it.  You have to also remember that access if very difficult if you don't stay there and rooms are very expensive.  Sure I would like to play the course but if I went out there for one of the tourneys and walked the course that would be enough for me.  On the other hand, I would seriously consider paying a high fee to play Cypress Point.  

[Brent Hutto]

I believe the access difficulty is perhaps oversold. A couple years ago I called two weeks before my trip and was offered a couple of choices of tee times at Pebble Beach, although I ended up playing at Spyglass Hill instead. Now admittedly that was as a single but still, getting on the course does not seem to require staying at the resort.

[Adam Clayman]

Jerry, You would be doing yourself a disservice not to play PB once. The differences in quality between PB and CPC is nearly indistinguisable. SO why is the one worth so much more to you?

May he rest in peace, long time Santa Cruz High School Football coach, Bob Seymour, re-counted his experiences playing on the penisula back in the day. He said he and his group would pay $15 for the WEEK, playing Pebble and CPC everyday. Bob was likely an original member at Pasatiempo. Paying $2,500.00 for the membership whose certificate sat in their safe deposit box. Every year the wife would say "what are we going to do with this?" Bob, would just tell her to leave it in the box. Then in about 1996, they decided to call someone to findout about selling it. The lawyer called them back and told them to sit down because he could get $180k fo it.

At PB, When green fees went from $1.75 to $2.50 people bitched like crazy.

Pablo, recounted the days when the caddie fee was $.25

[Jerry Kluger]

Adam: Do you think that PB is great architecture or is it good architecture in a great setting?  Surely Torrey Pines is a great setting with rather boring architecture (I've played it a number of times).  I haven't been to Bandon but I'm willing to speculate that the architecture is perhaps better at Bandon Dunes and Pacific Dunes than at Pebble Beach.  I would rather spend my money playing two at Bandon than one at Pebble.  That being said, I still have issues with Bandon.

[Tom Huckaby]

Jerry:  define "architecture"?  Is your aim to gain joy from playing the game of golf, or study architecture as a concept?

If you are there to play the game of golf, listen to Adam.  And even if the study is your thing, you won't go hungry at PB.

TH

[Bob_Huntley]

Cary,

I think this is a flight of fantasy for someone to state that.

The plan of the owners of the property seems to be that they increase their overall prices about 3-5% a year, a step ahead of the inflation rate. Note, I said "overall" prices.

Some of the assumptions that they get the maximum rate for the golf course is also something of chimera. Sure, if you and eleven friends have reservations and are staying at the Lodge you will pay the max. However, if Lexus or some other convention group comes in the price is shaved.

Few people fail to realize that a million visitors go through the five gates at $9.00 a pop.... now that is a bunch of money taken in by less than twenty low paid employees.

Bob

[Adam Clayman]

Jerry, To me, Pebble sums up the axiom "greater than the sum of it's parts".
 The small greens with deepish bunkers, in close proximity, provides the mental, spiritual and physical challenge, that has passed the test of time to be considered a respected classic. Throw in some oceanside elements and the demands and excitement are multiplied. Most don't appreciate the ebb & flow, concluding certain holes are weak. If those same people walked off those 'weak holes' with an under par score, everytime, maybe I'd buy into their B.S.  But guess what? They do not.
 If Bobby Jones can throw down a 62 @ CPC, back in the day, Why is PB's lowest competitive round still Kite's 62, in 82' ? The course has not been significantly lengthened. My entire point is that everyone should experience Pebble at least once. Whatever price they charge is worth it. Thats a sad fact that the company has exploited for over 20 years. Before that, I'm sure the atmosphere was more congenial, exposing guest to the locals. Now, it's probably as sterile an enviornment as humanistic endeavors can charge for.

[Bob_Huntley]

Jerry, To me, Pebble sums up the axiom "greater than the sum of it's parts".
They do not.
 If Bobby Jones can throw down a 62 @ CPC, back in the day, Why is PB's lowest competitive round still Kite's 62, in 82' ?

Adam,

I am not sure but wasn't that under Lift, Clean and Place?


Bob

[Adam Clayman]

Bob, If my memory is correct, it was in the Open in 82'. If it had been the clambake, I'd be certain you would be correct. I don't believe LC&P was invoked at the Open. Anyone know? i'll do a search and get back. Back;
It was the open in 92'

[PThomas]

Kite couldn't have shot a 62 in the US Open, as the lowest round in ANY major is 63, which has been done several times

[Tyler Kearns]

The Canadian dollar surpases the American buck for the first time since the 1970's, and Pebble Beach is trying to kill the buzz for me .

TK

[Adam Clayman]

Paul, You are correct. It was in 1983 that Kite fired the 62 which meant it would've been the clambake and could have easily been LC&C.

Nick Watney recently took it to 61.

[Kyle Harris]

Fucking Ridiculous.

[Bill_McBride]

Few people fail to realize that a million visitors go through the five gates at $9.00 a pop.... now that is a bunch of money taken in by less than twenty low paid employees.

The gate fee wasn't a problem for me, Bob.  I merely told the attendant I was going to lunch with Mr. Huntley and he smiled and waved me through!