Biggest Disappointment per Dollar

[JR Potts]

Torrey Pines for sure.  I don't even know what I paid....I just know I was very sad after playing it.

[Sam Morrow]

Back in the early 1990's, when I made my big trip to Japan, nearly all of the big courses cost $300 or $350 to play.  Fortunately, nearly all of them comped me, but I went out of my way and paid $300 to play at Nagoya Country Club.  I believe that's the worst money I ever spent on golf.

Kavanaugh is going to come after you.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

Mucci nailed it. The pool at the Delano trumps the Doral all day and night for that matter.

[Tiger_Bernhardt]

There is a ton of multi hundred dollar golf in Florida and Arizona that should make any sensible man find his way from the proshop to the pool.

[Ivan Lipko]

David, for me golf is a complex experience. I played the HT right after another Pete Dye course - the Kiawah Island Ocean which is what I consider a good golf course - Wide Fairways, natural look, lots of choices either from the tee and on your approaches. The HT is way too narrow for my tastes although the green complexes are pretty nice.
The TPC was in a very bad condition - everything was brown - and it took me 7 hours to finish 18 holes (lotsa waiting).

[Mark Chaplin]

Wentworth is jammed with corporate groups during the week. It's simple supply and demand, no matter what we think of Wentworth and The Belfry on GCA they are popular plays.

[Doug Siebert]

I played Doral's Blue with my dad when I was like 15 or so....it was the first course I'd ever played that I'd seen on TV so I was really looking forward to it.  I was a lot more impressed the following spring by Harbour Town

It was $50 back then, sounds like price has gone up!  I could think of much better ways to spend $325...

[Martin Toal]

+1 for Doral Blue, The belfry and Torrey Pines. A couple of holes that you remember on each course, but not necessarily in a good way.

Could I add Trump National LA to the list. A quart squeezed into a pint pot, as they say. Some flash but little substance.

I must speak in partial defence of Wentworth. OK, the green fee is astonishingly expensive and only worth it if someone else is paying, and it is crowded with prats in Porsches and flashy gear, but the course is fundamentally a pretty good one, despite some of the ill considered recent changes, and it does not deserve to be in the same category of criticism on an architecture basis.

[Sean_A]

I have three candidates after one play:

Lytham
Hoylake
Troon

On subsequent visits I came to realize Hoylake is a good course, not worth the rack rate, but certainly as a guest.

Lytham was probaby THE course when I started to question the purpose of bunkers.  Never been back.

Troon takes the cake.  I think the rate was £60 when others were £35-40ish and when £60 was a lot of money.  I won't go back even as a guest because the course isn't worth the 6 hour drive.

After two visits plays my biggest disappointment is Muirfield.  Sure, its a good course, but they are charging about double what N Berwick charges and that puts me on the 1st tee of N Berwick 10 out of 10. 

After three visits my biggest disappointment is Turnberry.  It took til the third time to ignore the views (they can be had much cheaper elsewhere) and pay attention to the course.  For sure it is good, but not terribly special to justify their fee.

Ciao

[Mark Pearce]

I think Wentworth West at the frankly astonishing rate of £360 must be up there...

Wow.  Is that what they charge now?  £20 a hole?  I guess I'll never play there, then.  Not that it's high on my list anyway.

[Mark Pearce]

After two visits plays my biggest disappointment is Muirfield.  Sure, its a good course, but they are charging about double what N Berwick charges and that puts me on the 1st tee of N Berwick 10 out of 10. 

A group of mates and I are paying £75 to play Muirfield in March.  I'd have thought you, the king of the winter deal, would have looked out for deals like that, not least as Muirfield can play as well in March as it does in the summer.

[Mark Chaplin]

From the 1st May to 30th September there are a grand total of 7 visitor tee times available at Muirfield in 2011, kinda suggests they have the pricing right even if I wouldn't pay it. I agree with Mark on winter green fees on the links.

I'm a massive fan of Gullane 2 and 3 but I played Gullane 1 on a Sunday afternoon when the green fees would have totalled £360 even paying a tiny percentage of that I was totally underwhelmed.

[Sean_A]

After two visits plays my biggest disappointment is Muirfield.  Sure, its a good course, but they are charging about double what N Berwick charges and that puts me on the 1st tee of N Berwick 10 out of 10. 

A group of mates and I are paying £75 to play Muirfield in March.  I'd have thought you, the king of the winter deal, would have looked out for deals like that, not least as Muirfield can play as well in March as it does in the summer.

Canary

I could be convinced to tag along with an outing to Muirfield in the off-season if the situation was right, but I wouldn't organize it.  I tend to go cheap places for over-nighters in the winter.  Though this fall we are going to St Andrews - very much a splash out for this group who look to do two weekend games on a quality course and B&B for no more than £125 (usually closer to £100) with few exceptions.  Its a concept I have a lot of time for.  Unfortunately, I have to miss the spring meeting in Tenby.  I was looking forward to that one-nighter, but such is life.   

Ciao

[Ben Stephens]

After two visits plays my biggest disappointment is Muirfield.  Sure, its a good course, but they are charging about double what N Berwick charges and that puts me on the 1st tee of N Berwick 10 out of 10. 

A group of mates and I are paying £75 to play Muirfield in March.  I'd have thought you, the king of the winter deal, would have looked out for deals like that, not least as Muirfield can play as well in March as it does in the summer.

Canary

I could be convinced to tag along with an outing to Muirfield in the off-season if the situation was right, but I wouldn't organize it.  I tend to go cheap places for over-nighters in the winter.  Though this fall we are going to St Andrews - very much a splash out for this group who look to do two weekend games on a quality course and B&B for no more than £125 (usually closer to £100) with few exceptions.  Its a concept I have a lot of time for.  Unfortunately, I have to miss the spring meeting in Tenby.  I was looking forward to that one-nighter, but such is life.   

Ciao

Sean,

If you are looking for cheap as chips winter deal - Gog Magog is a decent bet played the Wandlebury a decent Hawtree course built over 10 years ago for £20.50! and the Old course is a similar price. Wandlebury greens are much better in the winter as its USGA standard and is used for Open Regional qualifying! Boony and I were considering playing Royston last year - £15 a round in winter!!!

Canary - Muirfield for £75 thats an absolute bargain!!! one of the deals of the year.

Biggest Disappointment per Dollar - thinking about it - PGA Centenary at Gleneagles - the Kings is a better course at a cheaper fee!

Cheers
Ben 

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Whistling Straits..dont remember what I paid...I JUST REMEMEBR THINKING WHY?
Why would you spend all this money to manufacuter dunes like terrain and then totally spoil it in a ego induced coma of exageration?
Seeing on TV several times since has done nothing to alter my opinion and the fact that the "overdone" feeling to the course also contributed to a young man losing a major furthers my disdain for the place.

[Matthew Petersen]

So much of this depends on timing, at least in some cases. I've played Harbour Town, Sawgrass, and Muirfield Village and would go back to any of them. Sawgrass and Muirfield are two of the few I would pay top dollar to see again. I paid offseason rates at Harbour Town of maybe $130 and would absolutely do that again although probably not their high season rate. Conditions were good at all three.

I played Troon North one October a few weeks after overseeding and it wasn't in very good shape. I also didn't care for the housing on top of too many holes. Its not as unique as it was when it was built either. But I admittedly caught it on a bad day. I might try the other course there someday, but its not been a high priority for me.

A lot of the courses in Phoenix and Las Vegas might make this list in the high season, but they can usually be had for a reasonable price in the summer. Trump National LA might be up there too...

Vegas is especially bad in this regard. In general the courses aren't quite as good as they are in Scottsdale, simply because the land isn't quite as good (generally speaking). Plus, Vegas doesn't get the same drastic summer discounts that you can get in Arizona. The heat is the same but the prices don't drop much at all.

[Roger Wolfe]

Anything at Kiawah besides the Ocean Course.  The Ocean Course is an icon and worth the big
bucks to at least play it once.  Paying over $200 to play the others is a travesty.  To be fair I have
not played Cassique or the River.

[Kevin Lynch]

Whistling Straits..dont remember what I paid...I JUST REMEMEBR THINKING WHY?
Why would you spend all this money to manufacuter dunes like terrain and then totally spoil it in a ego induced coma of exageration?
Seeing on TV several times since has done nothing to alter my opinion and the fact that the "overdone" feeling to the course also contributed to a young man losing a major furthers my disdain for the place.

Really?  Are we still sticking to this notion that too much sand cost Dustin Johnson a Major?  The PGA was lost because DJ had very sad situational awareness (and, oh yeah, he missed his target by 70+ yards).

I'm not sure what you are referring to with "exaggeration."  Most people criticize the manufacturing of the dunes land, but your comment above reads as if the "manufactured land" was OK, but was then spoiled somehow.  I'm confused what you mean. 

In order to give the illusion of the Dunesland being there first (and the routing being second), there had to be sand everywhere, which would not be along the final lines of play.  Would you have preferred that the sand and dunes only be created along the fairways, with everywhere else on the course looking like flat dairyland?

Having said that, you may still be correct that it may be overpriced for what you get.

[Carl Nichols]

Anything at Kiawah besides the Ocean Course.  The Ocean Course is an icon and worth the big
bucks to at least play it once.  Paying over $200 to play the others is a travesty.  To be fair I have
not played Cassique or the River.

Agreed on the publics.  I really liked Cassique and River a lot -- but given their private status, they don't really fit in this thread anyway. 

[Tim Martin]

For a long time it was PGA National in Palm Beach Gardens. which was crazily priced at $150 more than fifteen years ago...I don't want to think about what the figure may be now...

Now it may be Oxford Greens here in CT, which I have, and will only play once (remember Keaton/Piscopo movie, "Johnny Dangerously" - "once!") for $90 on a chilly October morning 2008.  It would've been $115 if we had played in the premium weekend time an hour later.

My god what a nightmare (do not mean to offend those who may like it).  Difficult walk to start with - but we were on carts, which were railed in and often necessitated 60-100 yard walks to your ball.  Wetlands, long distances from green to next tee, fescue, lost ball trouble and blind penalty where everyone hits it and useless good turf where no one can. sharp fairway slopes, asphalt, meaningless split rail fences and retention railroad ties everywhere; sketchy, thin new turf with wash out bald/disease areas.  White paint G.U.R. circles ubiquitous and of course, like 7 people who "service" you before you hit a putt on the putting green.  Unfinished ubiquitous McMansions erupting near the turn...

The very definition of everything pejorative when you hear the words, "Daily Fee."

$90 indeed!  If I didn't inure that the place probably cost way more than I paid and all involved will be broke before the next national election, I'd say it was the greatest scam since PT Barnum's "White Salmon."

sorry for the rant

cheers



vk

VK-I`ve played Oxford at half the $90 you paid and been underwhelmed. The housing component really takes away from the experience. Very little in the way of options on many of the holes which is a shame because there are some interesting green complexes and surrounds.

[Matthew Parish]

After two visits plays my biggest disappointment is Muirfield.  Sure, its a good course, but they are charging about double what N Berwick charges and that puts me on the 1st tee of N Berwick 10 out of 10. 

A group of mates and I are paying £75 to play Muirfield in March.  I'd have thought you, the king of the winter deal, would have looked out for deals like that, not least as Muirfield can play as well in March as it does in the summer.

Canary

I could be convinced to tag along with an outing to Muirfield in the off-season if the situation was right, but I wouldn't organize it.  I tend to go cheap places for over-nighters in the winter.  Though this fall we are going to St Andrews - very much a splash out for this group who look to do two weekend games on a quality course and B&B for no more than £125 (usually closer to £100) with few exceptions.  Its a concept I have a lot of time for.  Unfortunately, I have to miss the spring meeting in Tenby.  I was looking forward to that one-nighter, but such is life.   

Ciao

Sean,

If you are looking for cheap as chips winter deal - Gog Magog is a decent bet played the Wandlebury a decent Hawtree course built over 10 years ago for £20.50! and the Old course is a similar price. Wandlebury greens are much better in the winter as its USGA standard and is used for Open Regional qualifying! Boony and I were considering playing Royston last year - £15 a round in winter!!!

Canary - Muirfield for £75 thats an absolute bargain!!! one of the deals of the year.

Biggest Disappointment per Dollar - thinking about it - PGA Centenary at Gleneagles - the Kings is a better course at a cheaper fee!

Cheers
Ben 

Ben,

I will echo Glenealges-PGA, it's next on the list.  So, to get to a top 5, I would go

1. Doral Blue
2. Torrey South
3. Gleneagles - PGA
4. Reflection Bay
5. Valderrama

Now, I appreciated each of these courses in some way, i.e., aesthetics, a good hole here and there, good conditioning, (except maybe Doral), but in terms of feeling satisfied with money well spent, not so much. 

[Tim Leahy]

No doubt, Halfmoon Bay Ocean course! Paid $75 twilight rate several years ago and that was too much! I can't even imagine someone paying over $150 to play either course at Halfmoon Bay resort.

[Drew Standley]

Matt, 

Were any of those courses as disappointing as the sizing of your avatar? 

[Peter Ferlicca]

California is the king of this topic, I could make a pretty long list of courses that aren't worth the amount they charge.  California just seems to charge way more for their courses than they are worth.

Trump National- way overpriced for the product you are offered.  OK golf course with good views
Torrey Pines South- WAY OVERPRICED, tons of boring holes, only thing going is the nice enjoyable walk.
Encinitas Ranch- Charges way to much for the extremely average golf course
SilverRock- I live in the desert and there are way to many courses here that charge too much.  This is the first of them.
PGA West Nicklaus Resort- It is a decent course but nothing compared to the Nicklaus Private

I could go on and on with courses in So-Cal that are WAY overpriced for the value you get.  There are only a few good courses in So-Cal that are worth the money you pay.  IMO, the top two are Rustic Canyon and Coronado Golf Course.

[Jeff_Brauer]

I would wager than almost any new high dollar CCFAD - including mine - has great potential to dissapoint, given how much we like tradition, etc.  As we travel more and see more golf courses in general, I would say, at least for me, the bar is really raised in what it takes to truly impress me.

More of the same, which is the real complaint about modern architecture (its tendency to sameness) but at a higher price would often prove to be dissapointing, no?