As if paying $100-150 on green fees isn’t enough, that’s just the start when it comes to playing at a quality “resort” course. They seemed to be designed for you to lose at least 5 balls per round (another $30), plus expensive food & drinks, plus… need I go on? Recently I heard a former Aust Open Champion (who also won on the US tour) say these courses will go broke in the next few years if they keep them as difficult as they presently are, because people will usually only fork out big $$ once in a blue moon to play a course they shoot 103 when they play off 15 (Brookwater anyone??).. they won’t return.. for years anyway. Repeat business is the key in any successful venture. What am I not seeing? Why are they still doing it?

Quie often it is the owner’s ego – “We want you to make us the hardest course in Oz !” “Our course will be the toughest !” etc….

won’t have to worry about Brookwater – they are private now. but yes i agree why do they have to make it so hard. it makes the game more expensive.

Brookwater has the highest turnover of staff, they are always advertising on SEEK… I know because I am always looking for work at Golf Clubs on the Gold Coast.

I agree. That is why I’m a fan of Hyatt Coollum. The signature water holes (9th, 11th and 18th spring to mind) give you a chance to carry everything and go for the pin and if you make it, you’ll rememeber the shot forever (and keep coming back for more!) – but they also support a bailout shot. I took on the 11th once with the pin tucked over the water and landed the ball between pin and water – I will NEVER forget how good this felt.

Some of the other resort courses don’t provide us average golfers with enough bail-out options.

Well dont come to Nz and play Kauri Cliffs.

50k winds.. actual cliffs 500m high… $300 (i think, maybe more for non nzers) to play.

Ridiculous.
good course though

Ah well, when it goes broke and the All Blacks buy it out, we’ll come have a hit…

As long as people line up to play these manufactured Goat tracks people will keep building them … they have less to do with good architecture and more to do with image pretty green and manicured ..

Well dont come to Nz and play Kauri Cliffs.

50k winds.. actual cliffs 500m high… $300 (i think, maybe more for non nzers) to play.

Ridiculous.
good course though

NZ$300 ….thats about A$64.50 isn’t it??

Where did you get the 50 cents from?

I gave it to him…

The two issues are separate: cost & difficulty. Agree that the super manicured resort style is not my preference but probably a reflection of the growing professional game overseas (the better it looks on tv = more viewers = advertisers / sponsors = $). On the flipside, we pay a lot less for a higher general standard of courses in our country compared with most overseas.

The better it looks on tv, this is of course a very subjective viewpoint, and has a more to do with fashion than anything else. Me, I grew up looking at Links style courses, the subtleties of that style of course Look So Much Better to my eye than a Resort style course, sort of like the difference between Natalie Gulbis and Jan Stephenson both are gorgeous in their own way, but Jan just relies more on her natural beauty, uncovered in such a wonderful way…. sighhhhhhhh

Sponsors and advertisers are only interested in viewing numbers and the reality is that the average tv viewer is not a golfer and just as likely to tune in for a tournament played in a car park if all other aspects of the telecast are to their liking

To answer the question in the thread title: because they can.

The land, design fee, maintenance, staff, machinery… all costs money.

$85-$100 for a game of golf at a top track is reasonable, IMO

Or fools who are too easily separated from their money for a shallow golfing experience where all their decisions are made before play begins ..dont miss fairway or you will lose ball…dumb stupid and a complete waste of time.

Agree that $85 – $100 at a top track is reasonable

I do too but what do you consider a top track ?

cause top tracks generally cost a wee bit more than that :)

Barnbougle, Eynesbury, Port Fairy.. I would have thought there is a long list of options at or around that number

In Australia there is a small number of public access courses where its more than $100 a game. On a good number of these discount rates are available that can bring the cost to under the $100, eg two of us played the Vintage for 70 odd with cart.

The courses that cost serious money are some of the elite private courses that generally only allow interstate and international visitors.

Generally around $50 is my upper limit because there are many good places to play for that kind of money or less. Once in a while I will treat myself to something more pricey.

Thats my point though what is a top track Rm,barnbougle,kingston heath, NSW ,St michaels …are top Tracks most of the others are pale imitations..

Last time I played Port Fairy green fees less than $30. However will cost you a bit in petrol to get out there from the big smoke.

But while there you may as well join up as a country member for around $300!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

(Just had to cancel my membership there due to impending arrival of rug rat as it was thought by the better half that I should only be a member at one club. :-) )

Port Fairy -BESTvalue golf in Australia….......................

The visitor green fee for saint micks is $77 but its cheaper in the the thursday comp. I have played quite a few rounds there over the years. Its a great layout and it would be so much better if the could swap the bloody kikuyu for couch.

Green fees are still $30 at Port Fairy. A cart at $35 is actually more expensive than it is to play! Its superior to Saint Micks but a bit out of the way.

Primo golf (at most of the elite melbourne courses) can be had via charity days. Prices range from $60 odd to a bit over a $100. I played Penisnula South last weekend for a mere $65. In the past I have played charity days at Metro, Kingston Heath, Victoria and Yarra Yarra for various prices between $50 and $90.