Getting ridiculous

[TylorJudd]

You’ll pay 60-100 US here for a round. I’ll post a few pics of courses in BC

[StrokerAce]

32 minutes ago, TylorJudd said:

You’ll pay 60-100 US here for a round. I’ll post a few pics of courses in BC

WOW... I've played both along the ocean and in the mountains and 95% of the time I'd pick a mountain/lake course.

These look spectacular.

[HikingMike]

21 hours ago, GolfSpy SAM said:

I know he (@GolfSpy_APH)  already answered, but as I was reading your post, I came up with my own reasons Jamie lives in Switzerland. 

Ahem.

Born to a zamboni driver (Bruce) and a Mountie (Charlotte), Jamie grew up on a mountain in the remote area of Toronto (pronounced Too-Rooon-Too).  Home schooled in the ways of his parents, he found a natural affinity for both ice making and Polo.  When his grade-school crush moved to Switzerland (to be the braid-stylist of the hot chocolate girl), Jamie had no choice but to ride his faithful steed (Oatmeal) over the ice and frozen tundra (he took no boats - "boats are for the elderly. and kids I guess" he proudly (and inaccurately) said).  Unfortunately, Oatmeal succumbed to the weather, and Jamie was forced to cut her open and ride out the storm inside (and he thought she smelled bad on the OUTSIDE).

He's been in Switzerland, horseless, ever since. 

Haha!!  I'm glad it wasn't just me. You took it to the next level. Nice Star Wars homage. I thought it was "Terano" though. Soooooooowwrrry.

Hmm that gives me an idea. The plot thickens, though it's not exactly canon, more like an alternative timeline. This time Jamie is the mountie.

 

EDIT-

Here's the original in case anyone's wondering - https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0108756/

A Canadian mountie in the big city fighting crime with a Chicago detective. It wasn't a big hit or anything but it was on network TV  Wow, there is a trailer in German, hah perfect! 

Edited February 16 by HikingMike

[billpierce]

2 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I have a full article on the main site coming out soon about golfing here. 

Stay tuned!

As a quick note the average round at any normal course is $100 usd or more. Hard to find any cheaper.

Germany costs even more! Not sure how our EU friends survive but I am sure some creativity van be applied when you are a local...

When I was in Ireland I could easily find cheaper courses they were just crappier and shorter!

[TylorJudd]

50 minutes ago, StrokerAce said:

WOW... I've played both along the ocean and in the mountains and 95% of the time I'd pick a mountain/lake course.

These look spectacular.

These are all in the Okanagan Valley/Shushwap Valley

Talking Rock

summerland G&CC

Penticton G&CC

Nk’Mip Desert Canyon

Fairview Mountain

Osoyoos G&CC Desert Course

Shannon Lake

Two Eagles

I love living and playing here, we are so spoiled.

[Hook DeLoft]

For those of us on a fixed income, it can seem that golf will become unaffordable in the near future.  However, as others have stated, there are ways to play cheaply.  One thing I have never understood is buying clothing (other than shoes) that is golf specific.  A decent pair of slacks and polo style shirt can be bought for about a fifth of the prices of golf brands.  And "golf" belts just make me think of P. T. Barnum's famous saying.  And golf hats with the company's logo? In that case you are paying the company for the privilege of advertising its product.

[GolfSpy SAM]

1 minute ago, Hook DeLoft said:

For those of us on a fixed income, it can seem that golf will become unaffordable in the near future.  However, as others have stated, there are ways to play cheaply.  One thing I have never understood is buying clothing (other than shoes) that is golf specific.  A decent pair of slacks and polo style shirt can be bought for about a fifth of the prices of golf brands.  And "golf" belts just make me think of P. T. Barnum's famous saying.  And golf hats with the company's logo? In that case you are paying the company for the privilege of advertising its product.

Costco has been a boon for someone like me, who genuinely balks at spending north of $50 on a shirt or a hoodie. I do have a VERY nice hoodie that my wife bought me for Christmas, but if I'm buying it, it's gotta be "reasonably" priced.  Requires going in-store, but I've found some killer stuff for super reasonable prices. Just FYI

[Shrek74]

I live in a couple places for getting great deals and can really help save money.

1. Kohl's. My golf shorts and pants are Haggar from Kohl's. I also have several of their polo's and they last forever. Great value with quality products. Plus I use Rakuten and get cash back, plus I get the discounts/coupons regularly that really help save money.
2. I wait for the end of the year clearance sales at multiple online retailers (Discount Golf, Golfetail, Budget Golf, Maple Hill Golf, etc). I got a few Columbia polos at Budget Golf for $18 in one instance. Not sure I've ever paid over $30 for a brand-name polo in forever, and that includes Under Armor, Nike, Adidas, etc.
3. Rakuten is really nice for both coupons and cash back. I'm coming up on $1000 cash back since I started using it in 2015. They also have coupons that they source from the various sites/companies and help apply the ones that work and give the best discount. Super helpful and the cashback can something be upwards of 10% in some places.

I refuse to pay the stupid prices that many are asking for these days. I don't care if I'm wearing the Kohl's Grand Slam polo instead of a Peter Millar. I can get 5 Grand Slams versus 1 Peter Millar. Doesn't make sense to me.

[silver & black]

Membership at my home course went up another $25.00 (started at $250.00.... now $425.00 per year) and cart fees went up another $3.00. I know this isn't really expensive, but I no longer have the income I once had. When I can no longer afford (responsibly) to pay the membership for a year, I will call it a day. I understand the increase and I love golf, but if it gets too much more expensive I will have no choice but to give it up. Fortunately for golf, there are enough people that have the extra income to suppport it. I won't be one of them for much longer, I fear.

[Rob Person]

1 hour ago, silver & black said:

Membership at my home course went up another $25.00 (started at $250.00.... now $425.00 per year) and cart fees went up another $3.00. I know this isn't really expensive, but I no longer have the income I once had. When I can no longer afford (responsibly) to pay the membership for a year, I will call it a day. I understand the increase and I love golf, but if it gets too much more expensive I will have no choice but to give it up. Fortunately for golf, there are enough people that have the extra income to suppport it. I won't be one of them for much longer, I fear.

I understand this sentiment  very well.

Is it a public course with membership options? We have several around here that are affordable enough without paying dues to them. The basic membership to the one down the street is over $1500, AND they still have to pay a $15 cart use fee each time, and ends up over $2300! I can play for $35 with cart midweek. If I play once a week over 12 months I'd pay $1600

[HikingMike]

21 hours ago, GolfSpy_APH said:

I have a full article on the main site coming out soon about golfing here. 

Stay tuned!

As a quick note the average round at any normal course is $100 usd or more. Hard to find any cheaper.

Awesome I will definitely enjoy reading about that. And the more Switzerland golf photos, the better.

[Guest-0]

12 minutes ago, HikingMike said:

Awesome I will definitely enjoy reading about that. And the more Switzerland golf photos, the better.

Up in NW Lower Michigan there are literally a hundred courses and most are damn nice they are mostly still in that 55 to 80 range and I feel that is a result of competition between tracks trying to stay busy. Now with that being said pre Covid they were 40 to 75 so they are going up but with so many places to play only the true gems dare go over 100 or they will sit empty. The Arnold Palmer designed "Manitou Passage" GC for instance is a damn fine place but not "Big League" do this is an example of the 75 dollar tracks we have to play. I will take them all day long!!

[silver & black]

14 hours ago, Rob Person said:

I understand this sentiment  very well.

Is it a public course with membership options? We have several around here that are affordable enough without paying dues to them. The basic membership to the one down the street is over $1500, AND they still have to pay a $15 cart use fee each time, and ends up over $2300! I can play for $35 with cart midweek. If I play once a week over 12 months I'd pay $1600

Yes, it's family owned public course. They are great people and they really do try to keep it affordable. This economy has hit them just the same as the rest of us.

I'm not putting on the poor face.... I'm doing okay. It's just that I have to come up with the membership fee every March... and there is always something more important ( well.... okay) that chunk of money needs/could go towards. After the initial membership fee it's $20.00 a round with a cart. I play 1 - 2 rounds a weekend with my brother. I play on a 9 hole league during the week. That is $200.00. The cart fee for league night is $12.00. Like I said, it isn't anything that is extravagantly high priced.... it just seems to nickle and dime me to where I have to seriously consider not playing nearly as much or just giving it up altogether. I'm not likely to just quit. I'll have to figure it out...lol.

[Rob Person]

3 minutes ago, silver & black said:

Yes, it's family owned public course. They are great people and they really do try to keep it affordable. This economy has hit them just the same as the rest of us.

I'm not putting on the poor face.... I'm doing okay. It's just that I have to come up with the membership fee every March... and there is always something more important ( well.... okay) that chunk of money needs/could go towards. After the initial membership fee it's $20.00 a round with a cart. I play 1 - 2 rounds a weekend with my brother. I play on a 9 hole league during the week. That is $200.00. The cart fee for league night is $12.00. Like I said, it isn't anything that is extravagantly high priced.... it just seems to nickle and dime me to where I have to seriously consider not playing nearly as much or just giving it up altogether. I'm not likely to just quit. I'll have to figure it out...lol.

Yes, all the extras add up quick! That initial amount is very reasonable considering most membership run 3-5x that here. 

[Golfspy_CG2]

20 hours ago, Hook DeLoft said:

For those of us on a fixed income, it can seem that golf will become unaffordable in the near future.  However, as others have stated, there are ways to play cheaply.  One thing I have never understood is buying clothing (other than shoes) that is golf specific.  A decent pair of slacks and polo style shirt can be bought for about a fifth of the prices of golf brands.  And "golf" belts just make me think of P. T. Barnum's famous saying.  And golf hats with the company's logo? In that case you are paying the company for the privilege of advertising its product.

My first experience with a golf brand vs regular consumer brand product and the price difference was range finders about 18 years ago. 

The Bushnell or Nikon I was looking at was around $300 I think back then.   A friend suggested I go to Bass Pro Shops and look a them.  Sure enough pretty much the same caliber of range finder there was like $220 or something like that.    Golfers are suckers...we'll pay through the nose for things...ha

[Rob Person]

9 minutes ago, Golfspy_CG2 said:

My first experience with a golf brand vs regular consumer brand product and the price difference was range finders about 18 years ago. 

The Bushnell or Nikon I was looking at was around $300 I think back then.   A friend suggested I go to Bass Pro Shops and look a them.  Sure enough pretty much the same caliber of range finder there was like $220 or something like that.    Golfers are suckers...we'll pay through the nose for things...ha

My temu rangefinder is as accurate as my brother's $400 Bushnell. My buddy brings his hunting one (not cheap) and ha since stuck with mine.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

16 hours ago, silver & black said:

Membership at my home course went up another $25.00 (started at $250.00.... now $425.00 per year) and cart fees went up another $3.00. I know this isn't really expensive, but I no longer have the income I once had. When I can no longer afford (responsibly) to pay the membership for a year, I will call it a day. I understand the increase and I love golf, but if it gets too much more expensive I will have no choice but to give it up. Fortunately for golf, there are enough people that have the extra income to suppport it. I won't be one of them for much longer, I fear.

What does your membership include for $425 per year? 

[silver & black]

6 hours ago, Tom the Golf Nut said:

What does your membership include for $425 per year? 

Nothing, other than costing less to play a round. Well, I get a discount on league/s too.

If I play 12 rounds or more a season, the membership is definitely a savings over the season. I play at least 30 rounds at my home course every year so, It's worth it to buy the membership. Supposedly you get 10% off of any outtings you play in, but I have found this to be untrue...lol.

Edited February 17 by silver & black

[Tom the Golf Nut]

2 minutes ago, silver & black said:

Nothing, other than costing less to play a round. Well, I get a discount on league/s too.

If I play 12 rounds or more a season, the membership is definitely a savings over the season. I play at least 30 rounds at my home course every year so, It's worth it to buy the mebership. Supposedly you get 10% off of any outtings you play in, but I have found this to be untrue...lol.

Interesting because any course I was a member at, and even other public courses in the area charge a yearly fee for membership but that includes all the golf you can play. Carts are extra, but I enjoy walking. So there are no extra charges. Normal charges are $110 to $150 a month depending on the course or you can usually pay all up front at a reduced rate.

[Guest-0]

8 hours ago, silver & black said:

Yes, it's family owned public course. They are great people and they really do try to keep it affordable. This economy has hit them just the same as the rest of us.

I'm not putting on the poor face.... I'm doing okay. It's just that I have to come up with the membership fee every March... and there is always something more important ( well.... okay) that chunk of money needs/could go towards. After the initial membership fee it's $20.00 a round with a cart. I play 1 - 2 rounds a weekend with my brother. I play on a 9 hole league during the week. That is $200.00. The cart fee for league night is $12.00. Like I said, it isn't anything that is extravagantly high priced.... it just seems to nickle and dime me to where I have to seriously consider not playing nearly as much or just giving it up altogether. I'm not likely to just quit. I'll have to figure it out...lol.

I have bought memberships for several years in Key West but for only a couple reasons I live on the course and like to help them out by buying and the bigger reason...it's the only course within 90 miles that is public now up at my summer place I would never buy even a seasonal because I would then feel obligated to play there alot to get my money's worth bit with fifty golf courses that are great I prefer to play all over the place rather than be "tied" to a track. The memberships have pros and cons and work great in some places and not in others

[Guest-0]

2 hours ago, silver & black said:

Nothing, other than costing less to play a round. Well, I get a discount on league/s too.

If I play 12 rounds or more a season, the membership is definitely a savings over the season. I play at least 30 rounds at my home course every year so, It's worth it to buy the membership. Supposedly you get 10% off of any outtings you play in, but I have found this to be untrue...lol.

Tom I see you are from NC, Iam in the process of getting rid of the two homes and moving to NC so not sure where you are but I have a question, If I lived in the Wilmington area how many months a year will the courses be open and if they shut down how long does the shutdown last??? No clue what winter is like there??

[NCDuffer]

Open 12 months in NC.  But close for the day or start later (let temperatures rise) when <32 degrees to protect greens.

[Guest-0]

1 hour ago, NCDuffer said:

Open 12 months in NC.  But close for the day or start later (let temperatures rise) when <32 degrees to protect greens.

Thanks!!! Have you played in the Wilmington area?? Looking for any and all recommendations for courses down there within 100 miles

[silver & black]

On 2/16/2024 at 8:15 PM, Tom the Golf Nut said:

Interesting because any course I was a member at, and even other public courses in the area charge a yearly fee for membership but that includes all the golf you can play. Carts are extra, but I enjoy walking. So there are no extra charges. Normal charges are $110 to $150 a month depending on the course or you can usually pay all up front at a reduced rate.

I can walk all year for the price of membership. I have a bad back and a shoulder. Walking isn't an option most of the time. $20.00 is a bit steep after paying $425.00. Carts on league night are $9.00. Something is off...lol.

[Tom the Golf Nut]

1 hour ago, silver & black said:

I can walk all year for the price of membership. I have a bad back and a shoulder. Walking isn't an option most of the time. $20.00 is a bit steep after paying $425.00. Carts on league night are $9.00. Something is off...lol.

My course charges $20 for carts as well. My last country club in TN only charged $7.00 for members. So $20 was a shocker when we moved, but the yearly fee is less. 

[NCDuffer]

On 2/17/2024 at 10:46 PM, Marlin Dave said:

Thanks!!! Have you played in the Wilmington area?? Looking for any and all recommendations for courses down there within 100 miles

I haven’t played the Wilmington area but I’ve followed our youngest son around watching him play tournaments over the years.  Land Fall and Eagle Point are two he played that I remember being nice but I think they’re private.  Up I-40 about 40 miles from Wilmington is River Landing he played and it was nice.  Closer is Cape Fear National and I’ve heard good things about it.  Sorry couldn’t be more help as I live about 3 hours away from Wilmington.  It’s NC though and there are many courses.

[jdischy]

I haven't read every post, so maybe someone has already spoken about this, BUT yes it's an expensive hobby, and yes the pricing is not going to get better. However, just like everything else it is all regulated by supply vs demand. If people want to impact pricing, do not buy the merchandise. Eventually they will mark it down, but if enough people keep buying it then you are out of luck. 

Golf balls are my pet peeve. Unfortunately more expensive golf balls feel better to me and I play better with those balls. I have had success though with watching Amazon and Golfballs.com to name a few and have gotten deals. I usually stock up when I get a deal to limit how often I have to buy. Honestly, getting better has helped reduce the need to buy as often as well, lol. I rarely lose a ball anymore, more than likely I have to replace a ball for damage to the cover rather than a lost ball.

[Guest-0]

5 hours ago, NCDuffer said:

I haven’t played the Wilmington area but I’ve followed our youngest son around watching him play tournaments over the years.  Land Fall and Eagle Point are two he played that I remember being nice but I think they’re private.  Up I-40 about 40 miles from Wilmington is River Landing he played and it was nice.  Closer is Cape Fear National and I’ve heard good things about it.  Sorry couldn’t be more help as I live about 3 hours away from Wilmington.  It’s NC though and there are many courses.

Much appreciated and I've heard Cape Fear National is really nice and while there are alot of courses iam used to having 35 dandy tracks within 50 miles of the house but they have this stuff called snow there and it sucks so I'm out!!!  Thanks!!!

[Kenny B]

On 2/15/2024 at 8:53 AM, HikingMike said:

Palm Springs, terrible golf destination apparently 

It’s a nice place to play some great courses for cheap… in the summer at 110 degrees!  It’s how I got to play PGA West, Indian Wells and Desert Willow.  However, this may be our last trip here… we leave on Tuesday.  

[ShimmyCocoBop]

On 2/15/2024 at 8:47 PM, silver &amp; black said:

Membership at my home course went up another $25.00 (started at $250.00.... now $425.00 per year) and cart fees went up another $3.00. I know this isn't really expensive, but I no longer have the income I once had. When I can no longer afford (responsibly) to pay the membership for a year, I will call it a day. I understand the increase and I love golf, but if it gets too much more expensive I will have no choice but to give it up. Fortunately for golf, there are enough people that have the extra income to suppport it. I won't be one of them for much longer, I fear.

I used to live in Ohio on the north side of Columbus.  My day off was Tuesday, so that's when my wife and I played.

There used to be so much good public golf in Ohio and we could always find a course for $18.00 ($1 per hole) for walkers.  Most of the time, if we tried to play a second round, the pro shop people would just wave us through with no extra charge.

I remember playing 36 holes Fire Ridge GC near Johnstown (closer to Cleveland) for $18 a piece.  It was a pretty hilly course and our Clic carts were invaluable.  The same happened at Black Diamond GC, which was even hillier.  Playing in the Fall was unbelievably gorgeous.

I remember thinking that there was no need to be a member if you were trying to save money.