Golf resort trends

[JMEvensky]

M W-P, did you finally get run out of Texarkana?

[Paul Jones]

Michael,


Congrats on your eventual move to Pinehurst.  I thought about moving to Pinehurst myself, and did some research.  I found that Pinehurst Resort is great, but the resort comes before the memberships - as you noted some reasons already.  I also looked into Mid Pines and Pine Needles, now shocked to Jay talk about the tee sheets being filled already. 


I do treasure being a member of a private club so I can go out when I want and practice when I want and get a tee time when I want.


Pinehurst move fell through 2 years ago when I brought my wife and kids. I was the only one that enjoyed the visit, so that place has been scratched off the list of places to retire.  However, I will continue to visit my friends in Pinehurst and play some really good golf courses.

[Michael Wharton-Palmer]

Michael,


Congrats on your eventual move to Pinehurst.  I thought about moving to Pinehurst myself, and did some research.  I found that Pinehurst Resort is great, but the resort comes before the memberships - as you noted some reasons already.  I also looked into Mid Pines and Pine Needles, now shocked to Jay talk about the tee sheets being filled already. 


I do treasure being a member of a private club so I can go out when I want and practice when I want and get a tee time when I want.


Pinehurst move fell through 2 years ago when I brought my wife and kids. I was the only one that enjoyed the visit, so that place has been scratched off the list of places to retire.  However, I will continue to visit my friends in Pinehurst and play some really good golf courses.

You will be welcome anytime.
Glad someone appreciates the logic behind my postings and 'the kind of golf I want to play", obviously some do not and appear to think that my way of playing the game is love  is strange and too demanding???

[Pat Burke]

I currently play almost everyday at a resort course that only allows members to tee off before 9:30 am.  It is the most perfect setup I have ever enjoyed.

Interesting. So members only before opening to resort guests?  Every day?

[Wayne_Kozun]

One thing I believe more recently built resorts such as Bandon, Sand Valley and Streamsong have gotten right is building uniformly high quality courses.

Resorts built at an earlier time seemed to have a feature course complimented one or more lesser courses.  IN order to play the feature course, you got soaked with high priced rounds on very mediocre course.  I found it a miserable value for the money and still tend to make my own itinerary when going to such destinations.  There seem to usually be better options nearby outside of the resort.

I think  this is dead on, along with the comment on having different architects design the courses.  We see this at Bandon, Streamsong, Cabot, Sand Valley, etc.  You have your DMK, Doak, C&C, etc. Of course the other trend is that these courses are often located in the middle of nowhere so they take a commitment to get to.