When we were discussing course conditions, there were comments about the amount of play TV courses get, especially in the high season, compared to some of the outside courses. Perhaps that contributes to higher maintenance costs which leads to higher fees. I remember reading that the championship courses have to be self-sustaining. Since we are not captive to the clubs for food/beverage, clothing and equipment and since there are no outside tournaments booked here, perhaps those other sources of income help keep costs at other courses down.
In SoCal, an executive course like most of the ones here would cost at least $30 to play, plus a cart. Last I checked, despite it being the land of fruits and nuts, CA was part of the real world. OK, maybe that's debatable.