Are the Championship golf courses too expensive?
 

I play the executive courses about 99% of the time. That is because
1. I am not a very good golfer.
2. I don’t want to spend 5 or more hours playing golf including travel time.
3. They are free.

I was just checking the prices at the Championship courses and they range from $50 at Orange Blossom Hills to $58 at Hacienda and the rest are $64 except for Southern Oaks which is $69.

These seem fairly high for public courses.

The championship courses are public but not everyone understands that. Any yayhoo can wander in and play if they can get a tee time. Non-resident fee is $84 now that is pricey plus they have to rent a cart for $12 . After tax $102.72. Don’t rely on my math but it should be close

I play championship courses twice a week, and all I can say is that this generation of "The Developer" is really pushing the envelope on golf pricing. I'm willing to pay for the convenience of using my own cart, but I'm on the edge of moving off campus for golf. I will not renew my priority golf when it expires in July, mainly due to the removal of the executive trail pass perk, but also due to the fact that the prices have increased so much that playing 80 times a year is no longer priority pass cost-effective. Frankly, I don't think they care.

Exec courses are not "free"...the fee is included with the amenity fee.

Is the cost of 18/27 hole courses too much because you can't justify paying the money, or do you just think they should be less expensive than they are? There are many things I can't afford or do. some because I no longer have the need/desire(played 18 hole courses for more than 30 years-the ego doesn't have that need to 'prove' anything by doing it).

If I did want to play them there are various levels of cost depending on how many of the 18/27 hole courses you want access to as a priority member. if you can't fit it in your budget then don't play them. if you don't understand the cost of running those courses perhaps it would be best if you tried to find out rather than think they're over charging.

Having played from Japan to Great Britain in the last 58 years I don't see the average cost of these courses as too much or extravagant . they do not fit my budget unless I were to give up other things I like to do and since right now that isn't an option it matters not.

grousing about the cost has no effect on their setting their price. there are many who can easily afford it, but don't like it...sigh...

Most of the 'championship' courses are definitely overpriced, for what you get. The reason they can get away with it, is because of the convenience of driving your cart (saving the courses even more money) to the course and basically having a mostly captive audience who don't want to mess with the hassle of going somewhere else in their vehicles. Never underestimate the pricing power of 'convenience' and obviously, TV has found that point. A lot of people are willing to pay a high price for conditions that are like the average muni course in most towns across the country - only at a significantly inflated cost.

There are two types of public courses – ultra expensive courses such as Pebble Beach, Pacific Dunes, St. Andrews, etc. The top public courses are ultra-expensive courses and are almost all over $300 a round.
Currently, Pebble Beach is $575 plus cart fee; Pacific Dunes is $295 for resort guest and $345 for day guest; and St. Andrews varies depending on the season from 98 pounds to 270 pounds (this is up 40% in the last year). However, if you are a resident of St. Andrews, the yearly fee is only 340 pounds which allows you to play all of the courses.
However, these are world class courses where majors have been played. None of the Championship courses have had, or are likely to have a PGA tournament.
Then there are the true public courses. These are usually municipal courses where the prices are almost always reasonable.
The link is from 2009. It lists the top municipal course in each state for peak, non-resident walking rates. 36 of them were under $50. And these are the top courses in the state. I don’t think anyone would rank the Championship courses as the top courses in Florida. The top course in Florida was The Links at Boynton Beach. In 2009, the price was $59 for 18 holes. The current price is $65 for 18 holes. Please note that these are for non-residents.

Public Golf: Best Muny in All 50 States | Courses | Golf Digest

I think the courses are way too expensive for my tastes and income to play 3 times a week, but I was spoiled living in a private community in Ohio where I paid about 140.00 a month for assessments but played golf for FREE. Based on those reasons I am choosing not to renew my priority fee any longer, so I will settle playing the executive courses. If i ever want to play with fellow villagers we will play courses outside of the villagers instead of playing here in the villages. To the people that have plenty of money in their budget to play multible days per week then they probably should stay here in the Villages and play.

I don't think that the Championship courses are too expensive,yet. I play them around once a week and even though it doesn't save me money I pay for the priority membership every year. Up north I played with some people who actually wanted the cost to be higher to keep out the "riff-raff" and make the play less crowded. I've never been in that camp, but here's my reasoning. I would like to see the golf courses be successful and would hate to see them turn into apartments or strip malls. I don't work for the villages or the local government, I just want to maintain the village lifestyle. Having golf courses surrounding me is part of that.

It’s all relative to how you play - if your game sucks, it probably is expensive; if you have game, probably not as bad. For me, I do have game; I’m never going anywhere so I’ll pay whatever they charge. The time and expense to drive somewhere off campus have to be figured in to the rate so a lot of times, the cost will be close to here.

I totally agree. I play the Champs 2x/week, and executive typically once/week. I have the Priority Membership to facilitate tee times. I consider the ability to drive a golf cart from my house to a course and use my own cart on the course as part of the lifestyle that I found attractive to me.
I'm still happy with that.

I never play the Championship courses, but when my scratch-golfer brother-in-law came to town, I reserved a tee-time -- and my jaw hit the floor when I got the bill. I don't know how anybody plays them twice a week. He was shocked as well. He has three municipal courses back home he plays all the time for $30-40, and thought they were much nicer. We played the exec courses for the rest of his visit.

At $75, golf was too expensive for me to play regularly back home in Texas, too. But that was non-member rates, unlike here. Somehow they got by with member rates in the $50's

I guess, if the market will bear it, there's not much we can do but gripe. Like a lot of things here, the reality falls short of the promise. But the reality is still pretty good.

What you see mostly these days that are playing Championship golf course here at the Villages are people who work (discounts) as "Ambassadors", "Starters" and let's not forget the "Snowbirds"....

Once you play the championship courses you know that the executive courses are garbage. I gladly pay for a real course

So what makes it a championship course "A Real Course" the extra 50 - 80 yards? :1rotfl:

Lol, my last "neighborhood course," which is public, had green fees of $250 PER PERSON in a foursome. $60 doesn't sound so bad.

That must have been a fancy neighborhood. Was it a public course?

Yes, it was a public course. The Links at Monarch Beach. Formerly owned by the St. Regis, now owned by the Waldorf-Astoria firm.

Prices seem to have gone down. According to their website, it costs $148 per player (cart included) for this Wednesday at 7:30 am.

Ya, those are weekday fees. Weekends are $200-$250 depending on season. Nice place, beautiful views, ocean front on a couple holes, but still - just grass with 18 holes in it.

I play the championship courses 3 times a week and yes, it's a little pricey but until someone tells me of a better deal somewhere else, I'm staying here in golf cart land.

I can't really afford Champ courses. Last one was a month and a half ago at southern oaks. $73 in the mid morning.

I lived just a few miles from Monarch and Laguna. Glad they are more affordable. Maui and Kauai are in the $350 range I remember with cart and clubs.

I could easily afford to play the Championship courses here in The Villages, but I don't. Way overpriced and boring for the money in my opinion. They should give you a $20 discount for using your own cart instead of one they would have to supply. Even then I would likely play outside The Villages. More interesting choices for the money.

Carts are money makers for courses...

Championship
 

Yes, for the quality you get and the fact that we provide our own golf carts. Overpriced.

What are the interesting choices that are nearby?

My husband is a priority member and plays the Championship courses 2 to 3 times per week year round. He likes the convenience of using his cart and being able to play in 4 to 4.5 hours. He rarely plays outside of TV but does go to Mission Hills and the Disney courses. He feels the price to play is fine.

They are too high for the quality of the courses, and you bring your own cart. But, they are priced about where demand equals supply, so for the Developer they are priced correctly. I am non-priority as I only play 1x per week. The last round at Hacienda was $68. And I figure the value of my cart at $20 (what most courses I know charge for 1/2 of a cart). So I was playing a $88 round. For $88 I expect a course to be in much better shape. When I am up north a $88 round would be a rarity, most courses are in the $35 - $55 including a cart. An $88 round would be on prestigious course with fast greens and championship level design. I have not been in the Villages very long (6 yrs) but the price has gone up substantially. When I started the prices were more like $50 to $55 (and I brought my own cart). But as mentioned, the courses seem to be getting this from enough people.

A top tier, private club, will spend $90,000 to 100,000 PER HOLE for maintenance every year.
Golf course maintenance metrics: It’s time to retire cost-per-hole - GCMOnline.com

So let’s say The Villages spends HALF that, $50,000, on each of the 333 championship holes - that’s $16.6 million.
Who’s paying for that? Who will be the first to complain when a championship course is converted to condos, because they can’t afford the maintenance?

I guarantee, those private clubs, spending $100,000 do not have near the number of rounds on each hole, that are played here.

Your perception is based upon your income level, your spending to value sensitivity, and your historical references. The public courses up north are 75-100 per person in the summer time. . they are free in the winter time, though there are mostly covered with snow

don't expect everyone to have the same set of bias components. If you aren't very good as stated, then just stick with executives and be happy. . .

Oh, and the problem with gold is that the pros on TV makes it look way too easy. . I can't read a f****** green to save my life, but i still try as I used to be a competitive (used to be!) athlete in several sports. . .

Most other courses don't provide a free cart. It's an added expense and a moneymaker for the course...

Where is this land of $35 green fees (including a cart)?

In MD, I pay over $50, PLUS $20 for the cart at my local public course...

Go online (GolfNow, TeeOff, TeeItUp, etc). Lower prices, discount specials.

Easy to find $35 green fees, including cart, up north in more rural areas during weekdays, but not on weekends or in urban areas. We rarely pay more than $35 to play beautiful golf courses mid-week with the senior citizen discount, while the younger folks are working (you just have to get out in time to make the turn before the late afternoon leagues take over the courses). Also, being retired and having a flexible schedule, same day open t times during weekdays are often there for the taking through “Golf Now” for $20 or less. I easily have spent more on green fees in the Villages since early January than I will spend during the entire 6 month prime golf season up north. That being said, I will spend a small fortune on gas and spend lots of time up north having to drive my truck to the different golf courses.

Once again, WHERE "Up North"? It's a pretty big area...

I know what prices are in MY area "Up North"... Pretty much double your $35 fee when you add in the cart...

Western Massachusetts (mostly west of I91 and the Connecticut River), southern Vermont, and south western New Hampshire.

Ok, so basically, the middle of nowhere...

Also, what are the playing seasons that far North? I can't imagine they're very long.

How can they possibly stay in business charging so little for a short season?

Just got back from a long weekend playing golf in Phoenix, we played 3 rounds and all were under $100 including cart. We could have spent a lot more money, but we played on a budget. Out of the 3 courses, there was only 1 I'd never play again, 6 hour round, so it got a lot of traffic but it was in terrible shape. The rest were in nice shape and I'd happily play them again.

In comparison, I have not had any issues playing the Championship courses here, although I've only played at two, Southern Oaks and Belle Glade. Both were nice courses and seemed fairly priced. On the other hand I've played at Continental Country Club and paid $40/w cart and that was a nice course as well.

It seems to be seasonal, so I mainly stick to the Executive courses on the weekends since I work during the week....

What, exactly, was promised, and by whom?

Compare oranges to tangerines:

Juliette Falls is a really nice course, $67 before 9am and that includes a cart. Conditions are superior to Villages championship courses.
Harbor Hills is around $45 and that includes cart, similar conditions to Villages championship courses.
Mission Inn El Campeon is superior to the villages and the Villagers special is around $75 and that includes cart.

Travel a little farther to Orlando and you've got quite a few courses with superior conditioning to what you get in the Villages for about the same price.

In the Villages you're paying for the convenience of using your own cart. Personally I would take the better conditions over the convenience.