Pay to play the best private course in your state?

[Cochese23]

I live in Wisconsin, so luckily most of our best courses are public and I have played all of them. I have also been lucky enough to play a few good private ones thru a professional who is a great friend. I have been lucky enough to play quite a few private clubs including Bluemound CC, Pine Hills CC and Ozakee CC would be on top of the list. I would definitely pay $250-300 to play them again and would really like to pay to play Milwaukee CC.

And to all the Chicago guys, I would pay $1000 to play Chicago...no doubt.

[cottonseed]

A ton of the courses mentioned in this thread have pictures and reviews on Golf Tripper.

http://www.golftripper.com

My state doesn't have a golf course that I would pay big bucks for but if I lived in NY, CA, PA, NJ, or GA it might be a different story.

[Gripit_Swiftit]

[quote name='azam14' timestamp='1392772314' post='8697969']
I would pay about 350 to play Medinah #3 (already played #2), Olympia Fields, Butler, Rich harvest farms and Chicago Golf Club
[/quote]

Having played all of these with the exception of Olympia I have to agree with this list for the Chicagoland area. The only one I would add is Shore Acres near Lake Forest. A little outside Chicago (Benton Harbor, MI) are Point O' Woods and Lost Dunes, I got to play them a couple years ago and if I ever get the opportunity again I would drop everything to play those. Point O' Woods is just timeless and Lost Dunes was a ton of fun.

I'm in MN and have played Hazeltine several times, Interlachen a handful of times and pretty much all of the other local clubs at least once. Most of these or nowhere near as exclusive as most of the other clubs listed here but they are all we have here in MN. I will say that I gladly pay the $85-150 guest fee and take the day off of work to play at Hazeltine and Interlachen any time I am asked.

[PapaJohick]

The only ones I can think of off the top of my head here in SC is Yeaman's Hall and Bulls Bay. Wouldn't pay huge bucks but probably 200 or so. Like some have said, paying that much for one round is a bit excessive when I sit and think how many great places around here I can play for cheaper (I am going to be playing The Ocean Course this year for $100 plus whatever to tip the caddie).

[Ranchobob]

Friend of mine was able to play Cypress Point. Not sure what I'd pay for that, but it'd be a big number.

[italianstallion]

I'd throw down a cool $500 to play Shinnecock, National Golf Links, Winged Foot, or Oak Hill....but when the rubber meets the road if you told me I had to pay $1000 I'd ask where the nearest ATM was.

As for Augusta...I'd pay a couple grand without blinking, and I'd haul the clubs out of my trunk myself.

[Ranchobob]

[quote name='italianstallion' timestamp='1393040054' post='8720036']
I'd throw down a cool $500 to play Shinnecock, National Golf Links, Winged Foot, or Oak Hill....but when the rubber meets the road if you told me I had to pay $1000 I'd ask where the nearest ATM was.

As for Augusta...I'd pay a couple grand without blinking, and I'd haul the clubs out of my trunk myself.
[/quote]

Shoot. I'd carry my sticks and Condoleezza's for that round.

[lchang]

[quote name='wingedfoot97' timestamp='1392701818' post='8692143']
1K for Cypress Point
500 for Olympic
250 for San Fran Golf Club
[/quote]

Cypress Point, San Francisco, Los Angeles are the hardest to get on in CA, right?

I'd pay 1K for any of those easy. Probably Riviera, too.

[cdnrockies]

[quote]
You can play Broadmoor, At least when I lived there[/quote]

You can still. It may be resort guest only at times.

[quote]500 for Castle Pines would be steep IMHO. Now on the other hand the Sanctuary, I would consider paying 500 for it. There is only two members from what I hear/heard. The only way you can play this course is to donate huge bucks for charity or be a very lucky military member picked to play that one day a year ( I think it was 4 from each branch of service).
[/quote]

Agree on the Sanctuary. I wasn't aware that there are members? I was told that it was built by and is owned by the gentleman that founded Remax. Built it for himself after some of the old school clubs denied him for being Jewish. He does host charity tournaments there as well. I know someone who played there, but it is ultra-exclusive.

[BENNYSUPREME]

[quote name='cdnrockies' timestamp='1393042381' post='8720270']
[quote]
You can play Broadmoor, At least when I lived there[/quote]

You can still. It may be resort guest only at times.

[quote]500 for Castle Pines would be steep IMHO. Now on the other hand the Sanctuary, I would consider paying 500 for it. There is only two members from what I hear/heard. The only way you can play this course is to donate huge bucks for charity or be a very lucky military member picked to play that one day a year ( I think it was 4 from each branch of service).
[/quote]

Agree on the Sanctuary. I wasn't aware that there are members? I was told that it was built by and is owned by the gentleman that founded Remax. Built it for himself after some of the old school clubs denied him for being Jewish. He does host charity tournaments there as well. I know someone who played there, but it is ultra-exclusive.
[/quote]

You heard the same as me on the Sanctuary. I just said 2 members assuming he and his wife were the only members.

[mokedaddy]

I'd pay top dollar to play the sand hills. The only other course I haven't played that I'd like to play is firethorn but that wouldn't be as high on the bucket list.

[Openwater22]

[quote name='BG5' timestamp='1392776065' post='8698471']
$350 for Crystal Downs for this Michigander
[/quote]
Your $20.00 high unaccompained

[Openwater22]

[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1392778648' post='8698893']
Sand Hills is IMO the best golf course in the world. Worth pretty much any price to play if you can get on. Fortunately they don't gouge the people lucky enough to get on there and the price is extremely reasonable.
[/quote]

That's saying alot. Best in the world. Since I've been told I can play there, might have to take a road trip this summer and see for myself.

[FairwayFred]

[quote name='Openwater22' timestamp='1393163677' post='8727224']
[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1392778648' post='8698893']
Sand Hills is IMO the best golf course in the world. Worth pretty much any price to play if you can get on. Fortunately they don't gouge the people lucky enough to get on there and the price is extremely reasonable.
[/quote]

That's saying alot. Best in the world. Since I've been told I can play there, might have to take a road trip this summer and see for myself.
[/quote]
It IS saying a lot, but I truly believe Sand Hills is the best golf course in the world. I have played pretty much all the main contenders. If you have the opportunity to play there do not pass it up.

[CowtownTexas]

[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1393189416' post='8729250']
[quote name='Openwater22' timestamp='1393163677' post='8727224']
[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1392778648' post='8698893']
Sand Hills is IMO the best golf course in the world. Worth pretty much any price to play if you can get on. Fortunately they don't gouge the people lucky enough to get on there and the price is extremely reasonable.
[/quote]

That's saying alot. Best in the world. Since I've been told I can play there, might have to take a road trip this summer and see for myself.
[/quote]
It IS saying a lot, but I truly believe Sand Hills is the best golf course in the world. I have played pretty much all the main contenders. If you have the opportunity to play there do not pass it up.
[/quote]

You're not the first person I've "heard" say that.

I've got a friend who has been wanting me to go see his ranch that's about 45 minutes from Sand Hills. Unfortunately, he's not a golfer. Don't guess they'd mind if I borrowed a ranch truck for a little outing?

I'll make that trip in the next year or two.

I've played most of the top courses in Texas, Oklahoma, and Kansas. Might as well keep working my way north.

[TheKrushh]

Played 36 at Sandhills last summer and it was pretty phenomenal. I haven't played enough of the best courses in the World to make the comparison.

Sanctuary is not that hard to get on if you know people from Remax. Most of the employees get anywhere from 1-4 foursomes per year.

I would pay a scary amount of money for a foursome at Augusta. I'd pay a couple grand to play with three randoms but I'd pay 10K plus if I could bring the other three people myself.

[QMany]

[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1392778648' post='8698893']
Sand Hills is IMO the best golf course in the world. Worth pretty much any price to play if you can get on. Fortunately they don't gouge the people lucky enough to get on there and the price is extremely reasonable.
[/quote]
I have had the opportunity to spend 2 weekends at Sand Hills in the past 2 years. I don't even remember how many rounds I played, as many as light allowed. I actually met Ari while I was there. I have not played as many premier tracks as him, but I feel the same way. The course has it all: amazing conditioning, perfect greens, drivable Par 4s, long Par 5s, short/long picturesque par 3s, options off the tee, plays different in every wind direction/severity, etc.

[DevilDog]

Not that pricey to play the best course in my state just damn hard to get on it. Would have to know a member and the members don't let it be known they are members.

[Air Jordan]

[quote name='toc' timestamp='1392620750' post='8684797']
Pretty sure I'd sell a kidney to play the best in my state.
[/quote]

I'm with you on that one

[Ty_Webb]

There are probably about 10 courses in my state I'd pay $350 to get on. Of those 10, there are 2 I would go to well north of $500 (NGLA and Shinnecock). Outside of New York, I'd pay $1,000 to play Pine Valley again and probably go up to $2k to get on Augusta or Cypress Point.

[Imp]

In Rhode Island, there's the RIGA and they do a couple tournaments every year as a scholarship fund raiser (Burke). There's separate net and gross competitions, that switch between 4 courses (net plays two of the courses, gross plays the other 2 and they switch them up every year), Shelter Harbor, Wanumetonomy, Misquamicut and the legendary Newport CC.

It's $200 to play 2 top courses. Last year I played in the net and played Shelter Harbor and Newport CC (Bucket list course there!)

My suggestion is to look at tournaments that may play these courses and see what it wold take to join.

--kC

[jptruck]

It's getting a little ludicrous at some places. Some worth it, some not. I took a group to an uber-exclusive Virginia club "unaccompanied" last year. It was $1,200 plus caddy for 4. Essentially a $1,600 business expense without food/drink. It'll go nameless, but I'll only go back with a member where the rate is a fraction.

Shinnecock can be played the same way: $500 plus caddy. I'd pay that, though.
Cypress is expensive, but not as bad as you'd think, unaccompanied. With a member, it's ridiculously cheap.
No such option at Augusta. Member has to be on property.

PAID $800 for two rounds of golf and a night stay at Sand Hills. It was a charity thing. Going this summer and playing/staying at Dismal River as a part of the trip. Should be pretty good, but it's hell getting there.

[kellygreen]

[quote name='QMany' timestamp='1392607315' post='8683795']
I have had the fortunate opportunity to play Sand Hills GC in my former home state, Nebraska. It was a friend-of-a-friend type deal and we "tipped him" for allowing us to play as his guest.

It got me thinking, if you had the opportunity to play the more exclusive courses in your state, how much would you pay?

For example, I'd probably pay $250-300 to play the best club in my new home state, Prairie Dunes. Probably about the same for Oak Tree National, Southern Hills, The Broadmoor.
[/quote]

I'd be willing to go $300-$400 to play the South Course at Firestone.

Anything more than that, and I'd have to be playing someplace like Cypress Point or Augusta National.

[cottonseed]

[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1392778648' post='8698893']
Sand Hills is IMO the best golf course in the world. Worth pretty much any price to play if you can get on. Fortunately they don't gouge the people lucky enough to get on there and the price is extremely reasonable.
[/quote]

Wow, that's quite an endorsement. What other courses are in your top 5?

[Maddog10]

I guess the best course in my state would be considered Valhalla, home of this years PGA Championship. I would probably pay a $200 green fee to play there if I knew a member. Now if we wanted to branch outside of my state, there are courses that I would spend $350ish on to play. Augusta would clearly be the top of my list, and I would be willing to stretch up to $500 for it.

I really feel that with the exception of a handful of courses, I would have a hard time enjoying a round that I spent more than $400 on. There are so many beautiful courses that can be played these days for much, much cheaper. You don't get the history or nostalgia that comes along with walking the same fairway (or rough) as the greats, but you can still enjoy beautiful scenery and pristine conditions for a fraction of the cost.

[FairwayFred]

[quote name='cottonseed' timestamp='1393280970' post='8737014']
[quote name='FairwayFred' timestamp='1392778648' post='8698893']
Sand Hills is IMO the best golf course in the world. Worth pretty much any price to play if you can get on. Fortunately they don't gouge the people lucky enough to get on there and the price is extremely reasonable.
[/quote]

Wow, that's quite an endorsement. What other courses are in your top 5?
[/quote]

My Top 5 US would be:

1- Sand Hills
2- Oakmont
3- National Golf Links
4- Cypress Point
5- Pine Valley

If you go Top 5 World it would be:

1- Sand Hills
2- Royal County Down
3- Oakmont
4- Muirfield
5- National Golf Links

[cottonseed]

Wow, impressive list Fairway Fred. Interesting to see Sand Hills on top of some of those guys. Thanks for sharing.

[jph4387]

As a NC guy we're lucky that Pinehurst #2 is public and it's great. We also have some private clubs that I'd gladly pay top dollar to play.

1. Wade Hampton Golf Club
2. Eagle Point
3. Quail Hollow - luckily a guy I work with is a member and will be having me out there in spring

As for national places ANGC, PV, Cypress, Merion, Oakmont, Seminole, etc. I would pay whatever it takes. It's only money right!

[jrgoombi]

Played The Patriot in Tulsa/Owasso, Ok. Got to play that for free. It's a really nice course.
Played MeadowBrook CC I'm Tulsa, Ok many of times. I used to work there.
Going to play Southern Hills in May for the local qualifier for the US Open and practice round there. Going to cost me 150
Looking forward to it

[knock it close]

I have a buddy that played at university of san fran, they'd play olympic once a week or so he said also said he got to play Cyprus a couple times and said it was incredible. The new head pro at cyprus [color=#333333][size=4]Casey Reamer played with his brother in-law played at my course in Calgary Ab, I guess his wife has family around there and me my buddy and the Head Pro were there when he checked in, Mr. Reamer seemed like a wonderful guy gave our head pro a hat and his card and told us if were ever in Cali to give him a call, safe to say I'd break into my college fund if it required that. [/size][/color][size=4] [/size]