Price of a golf round

[Mac attack]

The course does come into play for what ball I will use on it and how much I will spend, but generally $50.00 per dozen is my “too much” number.

[yellowboy]

Here in Pinehurst, NC the public courses average anywhere from $ 45. to 150. depending on the quality of the course. You pretty much get what you pay for with some exceptions. 
Of course those rates are inflated this year because of the Open coming ! 

[MattYeast]

It’s hard to tell sometimes due to the inflation of EVERYTHING. However, I’m pretty blessed with a course that is pretty nice (by public course standards), for a really good price. I pay around $42 for a full round on the weekend with a cart included, and about $35 for the rare time I play on weekdays. I have played some sub-par courses in my area that are around $55, and some very average courses for $75 all in my area as well (NorthWest Georgia, US). I don’t know if this reflects the rest of the country, but I feel like $75 should be a nice public course, not something that is very forgettable.

[MattA72]

Course quality should dictate the price, but that’s not always the case.  Can play Woburn for c.£100 (depending on season, time of day etc..) which is a bargain for a championship course, but then pay £40 for a crappy overused municipal course near me. Costs in Spain/Portugal et.c.. are prohibitive unless you go on a package holiday.  I don’t think they should be charging >€100 per round apart from on championship courses, but this appears to be the minimum spend anywhere.

[MarvChamp]

On 4/22/2024 at 9:01 AM, Byrnzee said:

Prices have absolutely gotten too high for a round of golf. It's one thing if you're paying for a luxury stay-and-play experience, but if you're just going out for a weekend round, I don't think any standard public course should be more than $100. 

Agree with this but I would cap the public course at $75. My City has spent a lot of money over the last 5 years renovating and upgrading courses which is great. The mindset seems to be "The golfers should pay for it" without regard to the nice effect it has on tourism and convention-goers. Of course, that means the general taxpayer should bear part of the cost of of public improvements, which seems OK for parks and the like but not golf courses. Just an opinion. Best, -Marv

[alphakooze]

Golf vacation with the boys, I’ve spent upwards of $180. However, my standard weekly golf round is usually $65-80.

[Dweed]

Currently I pay $10 for nine holes walking as a senior at one place, 12 at another and 15 at my third choice. They cater to seniors and really give us a deal for walkers. If traveling, I'll pay up to $50 , but only if it is a nice course. It is expensive if you let it get away from you.

[Douglas Stefanson]

Over $125 per round is pushing the limits of too expensive unless it is an exceptional course just playing once or a couple of times.

 

 

[release]

Including all garbage fees and tax.

$45 for the Municipal owned golf courses.

$70 for upscale public daily fee golf courses.

$100 for the top 10 in our region.

[RickyBobby_PR]

It’s gone up but for the prices I don’t have any issues with the price. The courses are worth it and they maintain a pace of play policy with good enforcement.

 

[DerekL]

In the area I live, Calgary, Canada we are very close to some beautiful mountain courses.  For a non-residence, Banff Springs is $319CDN for a weekend round.  It’s a gorgeous course, and worth playing if you’re in the region and want to play a historical course.  The other mountain courses range from $144 (Kananaskis) to $200 (Silver Tip) to $230 (Stewart Creek).  All different and worth playing.  There are lots of courses in and around Calgary that are fantastic and range from $85-$150 with some deals in the smaller towns.  If I’m playing, I’m budgeting $100CDN for a round.  

[russtopherb]

Most I pay is $80, and I'm usually more in the $50 range. 

I walk 9 holes after work once per week at a smaller course for $15. Plenty of good value courses out there, depending on your location.

[BallsLeon]

$30 for my local course to walk (and patron card)

Nicer courses that are cart only are more like $80-90

[mantan]

I live in the DFW area.  Priced across the board have gone up 40%-70% post covid.  
 

Good daily fee courses that used to charged $65-$80 on weekends now charged $115-$130. 
 

Midrange courses charge $70-$100 for a weekend round.  
 

I used to be pretty oblivious to what I spent on golf. But then I didn’t the math and realized it went from spending $300 a month on green fees to $500-$600. 
 

I am more judicious about where I play.  I used to just play close to home. But now will drive 30-35 miles for a good rate

 

with daylight savings, I’ll also knock off the early to play weekday for a cheaper rate. 
 

 

 

[Sweet56]

I reside near four excellent golf courses. Two are city-managed, while the other two are privately owned but accessible to the public. I hold a fifty percent discount pass for one of the city courses, where I play a few times each week. Walking the course costs me eighteen dollars per round. When I visit the other courses at the senior rate, the fees range from thirty-five to fifty-five dollars, including a cart. I reserve playing the more expensive courses—those charging one hundred dollars or more—for special occasions or when I’m exploring highly rated courses outside of town. Overall, city-owned golf courses, overseen by their parks departments, offer the best value.

[VeganGolfer]

Paid $160 to get member discounts at my local course which entails not having to pay dynamic pricing. So right now in April after noon is 15$ for 18. That goes up to a high of 37$ in summer for walking. If I can get a round for under 50$ I’m happy. I have never paid more than 60$ for a round. Of course I haven’t played anywhere nice either . 

[Sweet56]

I reside near four excellent golf courses. Two are city-managed, while the other two are privately owned but accessible to the public. I hold a fifty percent discount pass for one of the city courses, where I play a few times each week. Walking the course costs me eighteen dollars per round. When I visit the other courses at the senior rate, the fees range from thirty-five to fifty-five dollars, including a cart. I reserve playing the more expensive courses—those charging one hundred dollars or more—for special occasions or when I’m exploring highly rated courses outside of town. Overall, city-owned golf courses, overseen by their parks departments, offer the best value.

[Delaware Joe]

Down here in Southern Delaware and Ocean City Md, which is where I play most of my golf, the premium courses are getting between $130 and 150 a round Mondays to Thursdays and up to $175 on weekends In season. I think this is because we get a lot of stay and play golfers here. They get reduced rates through the various golf travel groups and the courses need that extra $ to make things work. If it wasn’t for local membership deals and just local and senior rates I probably couldn’t afford to play more than once a week in season.  For me personally the most I am willing to pay is $100 a round on a very premium course and I would not pay that amount very often. Some of the non-premium courses down here will range from $45 -75 during the season with some very good off season rates. Luckily the weather down here has been very good for the last 2 years and we have been able to play year round; and even get to play some of the premium courses at winter rates.

[Louis "John " Gavazza]

It depends on what course I am playing and the conditions. But my limit would be about $100. I live in Arizona and I have four golf courses in my community and the cost to play is about $52 per round. When I am traveling I look for courses that open to the public and the cost is below $100. 

[MmmmmmBuddy]

I hate paying $100 plus for green fees, and I will agree that green fees have gone up dramatically in recent years.

However.......

If I compare what our rack rate was in 2019 vs now and compare that to what any other consumer good was in 2019 vs today, and our green fees are up a smaller percentage. 

Things that players do not take into account is the rising costs associated with operating a golf facility. 

• Hourly Labor, Salaries, and Benefits
• Insurance
• Fertilizer
• Chemicals
• Equipment and R&M
• Fuel
• Electricity
• Water
• Merchant Services
• Food 
• Technology & IT Support
• Countless other categories

These hard operation costs go up every year. Most facilities in our area are working with very slim margins, and cannot simply absorb the rising cost of business without operating at a loss. 

All that to say, there are some costs that consumers are not aware of, or don't think about when thinking about a golf operations price structure. 

I hope this helps, and if anyone wants a more detailed explanation of how we price our facility, please let me know! 

[StrokerAce]

3 minutes ago, MmmmmmBuddy said:

I hate paying $100 plus for green fees, and I will agree that green fees have gone up dramatically in recent years.

However.......

If I compare what our rack rate was in 2019 vs now and compare that to what any other consumer good was in 2019 vs today, and our green fees are up a smaller percentage. 

Things that players do not take into account is the rising costs associated with operating a golf facility. 

• Hourly Labor, Salaries, and Benefits
• Insurance
• Fertilizer
• Chemicals
• Equipment and R&M
• Fuel
• Electricity
• Water
• Merchant Services
• Food 
• Technology & IT Support
• Countless other categories

These hard operation costs go up every year. Most facilities in our area are working with very slim margins, and cannot simply absorb the rising cost of business without operating at a loss. 

All that to say, there are some costs that consumers are not aware of, or don't think about when thinking about a golf operations price structure. 

I hope this helps, and if anyone wants a more detailed explanation of how we price our facility, please let me know! 

I heard someone once say that if you take the average cost per round and raise that to the millions that's how much it costs to operate a course.

So, for example, if the cost of a round is 75.00 it takes roughly 7.5 million dollars to operate the course. 

Is there any truth to that?

[MCMSR]

In the central Massachusetts area, there are many daily-fee, local & municipal courses with weekday ‘non-senior’ golf/cart rates in the $35-55 range (weekends, $75-100). At the so-called ‘name’ daily-fee courses, the costs are about 50%-higher for the same periods.  Typically, play 70 full rounds —  After 15 years, I left my former ‘name’ club because associated costs (golf/cart) became too high. At my current ‘local’ club — (same driving distance, more difficult greens, better conditioned greens/bunkers, similar yardage/slope/rating … Yes, some fairways & cart paths need work) — total costs for similar amount of play runs about 40/45% less.

That said, if it’s a special occasion or top-end location — about $150-175. 

[DavidLPS]

I don’t like to exceed $100/round more than maybe four or five times a year. And I try to play $40/round courses about 80% of the time. 

[Eltrain41]

Here in SoCal lots of courses to play but anything under $100 is not going to be in great shape, super busy, avg conditions all around. Once you hit $100-150 you'll get elevated conditions, better club house/staff, all that comes with it. 

[ChuckZ]

I look to keep rounds under $100.  I am a member of PGAHope which is for veterans and some premier courses in SC offer us deep discounts to play.  I can play the Ocean Course at Kiawah Island for $70, the other courses there that are open to the public charge us $50.  Great deal.  I volunteer to work events in our area to get free golf a private courses after the event is over.  You have to be resourceful and you can play very good courses for reasonable rates and even sometime free.  PGAHope is availabe to veterans nationwide.  Look for a chapter in your state, attend the seminar and get your card.  It is free and enjoy the benefits that go along with it.  Get to meet other veterans as well and improve your game.    

[Usmcgyrene]

I live in Central New York. Actually, very close to the Turning Stone resort and casino. The courses there are really beautiful and immaculately maintained. They are, however, pretty expensive. There are many nice courses in this area (more than 10) within a 30 minute drive that can be played for around 50 bucks with a cart.  

[Shapotomous]

There is a promotional book for courses in our area (DE, Southern Jersey, SE PA, NE MD) called Victory Golf Pass that has lower rates on certain days.  I try to use that through the year to keep green fees down a little.  There are also member for the day opportunities at some private courses.  Not all courses provide offers in the book and i think it cost about $60 so you need to use it only 2 or 3 times to make it pay.  

Do other areas have a similar promo book?

[bama no 1]

1 hour ago, Shapotomous said:

There is a promotional book for courses in our area (DE, Southern Jersey, SE PA, NE MD) called Victory Golf Pass that has lower rates on certain days.  I try to use that through the year to keep green fees down a little.  There are also member for the day opportunities at some private courses.  Not all courses provide offers in the book and i think it cost about $60 so you need to use it only 2 or 3 times to make it pay.  

Do other areas have a similar promo book?

I am sure there are some around the Northeast Alabama area, but I have not run across them.

[MmmmmmBuddy]

23 hours ago, StrokerAce said:

I heard someone once say that if you take the average cost per round and raise that to the millions that's how much it costs to operate a course.

So, for example, if the cost of a round is 75.00 it takes roughly 7.5 million dollars to operate the course. 

Is there any truth to that?

Really depends on the area, local labor costs, facility amenities and a host of other factors.  

Just to give you a ball park idea, our 18 hole facility in Oregon has a small range, 2 putting greens and a short game area. No Pool or Tennis. Our budgeted operating expense for 2024 is well under that formula.  

Those figures might be true in certain areas, but nowhere close to what we operate at...  

Our Rack Rate here is $52 walking and $70 with a golf car.

[bama no 1]

8 hours ago, MmmmmmBuddy said:

Really depends on the area, local labor costs, facility amenities and a host of other factors.  

Just to give you a ball park idea, our 18 hole facility in Oregon has a small range, 2 putting greens and a short game area. No Pool or Tennis. Our budgeted operating expense for 2024 is well under that formula.  

Those figures might be true in certain areas, but nowhere close to what we operate at...  

Our Rack Rate here is $52 walking and $70 with a golf car.

Wow, a 52 walking rate!!! Does your course come with one of those airport express moving walking path?