Playing golf in Vancouver Canada (NO POLITICS!)

[Shushwap]

Golfers red book is on sale for cyber Monday 

https://www.golfersredbook.ca/event/british-columbia-online-purchase

[Shushwap]

Curious to see who else stocks up on golf passes in late fall 

Are there deals for pre paid rounds at courses in the lower mainland in the fall or winter 

I'm up to 14  rounds pre purchased for the 23 season so far 

A buddy is picking up a 25 pack at tower and okanagan club for 23..plus a membership at tower.. I'm sure I will pick up a few of those for next year from him 

Okanagan club is running there 12 days of Xmas again this year 

12 rounds works out to 105 a round.. I prefer that over the 160 rack rate 

[unskinnybop99]

Fraser Valley golfers.....looking to buy an annual pass somewhere. Here is the problem:

 

Ledgeview under construction and full

Pagoda (Green Tee) no longer selling annual passes

Northview and Morgan no annual passes

Redwoods and Belmont under construction

West coast group want $4500

Meadow Gardens and Pitt Meadows high initiation

Mission only 9 holes

 

What are other options?

[The Beav]

6 hours ago, unskinnybop99 said:

Fraser Valley golfers.....looking to buy an annual pass somewhere. Here is the problem:

 

Ledgeview under construction and full

Pagoda (Green Tee) no longer selling annual passes

Northview and Morgan no annual passes

Redwoods and Belmont under construction

West coast group want $4500

Meadow Gardens and Pitt Meadows high initiation

Mission only 9 holes

 

What are other options?

Pretty sure that's it.  Golden Eagle $3500 one of my buddies said.

 

If you find something let me know.

Edited December 9, 2022 by The Beav

[doctorgolf]

On 12/8/2022 at 9:46 AM, unskinnybop99 said:

Fraser Valley golfers.....looking to buy an annual pass somewhere. Here is the problem:

 

Ledgeview under construction and full

Pagoda (Green Tee) no longer selling annual passes

Northview and Morgan no annual passes

Redwoods and Belmont under construction

West coast group want $4500

Meadow Gardens and Pitt Meadows high initiation

Mission only 9 holes

 

What are other options?

Yep like Beav said, that's it. The entire lower mainland is a disaster for avid golfers. It's great if you play less than 30 times per year because green fee rates are cheaper than a lot of other places. Or if you have F-you money. But the lack of affordable memberships in the entire GVRD is crazy. That's another thing, everyone looks at me like I'm crazy for calling them memberships instead of "annual passes." Everywhere I've ever lived public courses have "memberships" which are just what the lower mainland refers to as "annual passes." One club pro launched into a rant about how "this is a public golf course" and acted as if even implying it might have "memberships" was blasphemous. Explaining I meant some sort of annual pass calmed him down. Weird bunch here. But I digress. 

 

You're kind of stuck either paying green fees and racking up the amount you spend per year if you're an avid player, or diving headfirst into a massive initiation fee and monthly dues at a private club. I'm so pissed about the situation here that I've maintained my membership/annual pass in the Okanagan and go back there to play and see family as often as possible instead of subjecting myself to the crapshoot that is getting tee times here and the paying a ridiculous amount to play regularly. 

[The Beav]

Yeah its brutal.  

The covid golf boom pretty much eliminated what little we were getting before.  I'm trying to find a way to teach my kids the game without going broke but I haven't found it yet.

 

Your best bet is to get a Nexus card and play across the border.  Loomis, North Bellingham, and others offer annual passes or tiered memberships for decent value.  But crossing the border every time you want to play golf is annoying.

[Golfnuck]

For the vast majority of golfers it is a very discretionary expenditure.

 

It comes after paying for mortgages, car loans, food, kids functions etc etc.

 

Sure the various public courses have hopped on the COVID band wagon and increased their dues and annual passes to reflect the demand levels of the previous two years but IMHO this is coming to an end quickly in 2023.

 

It feels like this year was the end of a good 20 year run of low interest and huge gains in the markets (housing and stock) but the day of reckoning is here.

 

I predict that the demand side for golf will slow down considerably next year.  Will courses take another year to adjust .....  I don't know.

[The Beav]

4 hours ago, Golfnuck said:

For the vast majority of golfers it is a very discretionary expenditure.

 

It comes after paying for mortgages, car loans, food, kids functions etc etc.

 

Sure the various public courses have hopped on the COVID band wagon and increased their dues and annual passes to reflect the demand levels of the previous two years but IMHO this is coming to an end quickly in 2023.

 

It feels like this year was the end of a good 20 year run of low interest and huge gains in the markets (housing and stock) but the day of reckoning is here.

 

I predict that the demand side for golf will slow down considerably next year.  Will courses take another year to adjust .....  I don't know.

1) I've been handling my finances incorrectly lol.

2) I hope you're right.

[Shushwap]

On 12/15/2022 at 11:59 AM, Golfnuck said:

For the vast majority of golfers it is a very discretionary expenditure.

 

It comes after paying for mortgages, car loans, food, kids functions etc etc.

 

Sure the various public courses have hopped on the COVID band wagon and increased their dues and annual passes to reflect the demand levels of the previous two years but IMHO this is coming to an end quickly in 2023.

 

It feels like this year was the end of a good 20 year run of low interest and huge gains in the markets (housing and stock) but the day of reckoning is here.

 

I predict that the demand side for golf will slow down considerably next year.  Will courses take another year to adjust .....  I don't know.

I think we will start to see a taper in the amount of rounds played in 23... The fiull affect I think will happen in 24 and possibly 25 once folks start renewing there million dollar mortgages at 5 or 6 points

The cost of golf is getting out of touch for the average joe here in the okanagan... The okanagan club is 160 rack rate for 23... Who can afford that on a steady basis

I played tower a few times last year and was shocked at the amount of young people out there shelling out 150 a round to spray balls all over the place... I was at shadow ridge rat hole this year and was talking with a young group on the tee box... They had played at the bear and tower the prior weekends... I asked how these 20 something kids afford it with rent in the stratosphere now... The kid laughed and said thats what credit is for LOL

The reckoning is coming and I plan to sit back and watch while I play all my pre paid rounds in 23

Edited December 17, 2022 by Shushwap

[mukster]

Got out and played today. Weather looked iffy, we were hoping to get 9 holes in. Ended up playing 27 holes 😅
 

Looks like that will have to do for the next while. 

[myspinonit]

So sorry about the weather guys.  I'm very fortunate to be in Palm Springs till the end of the month.

 

I'm not trying to rub that in...I'm going off topic to recommend buying tickets to the Beyond Van Gogh immersive experience coming to Cloverdale in February. Perhaps a family Christmas present if some last minute Christmas shopping has been curtailed  with the weather? 

 

We saw it in the desert yesterday and it was fabulous. Both kids and adults really enjoyed the aptly named "experience". https://vangoghsurrey.com/

 

Seasons Greetings. Keep safe.

 

Don

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 21, 2022 by myspinonit

[Shushwap]

3 hours ago, myspinonit said:

So sorry about the weather guys.  I'm very fortunate to be in Palm Springs till the end of the month.

 

I'm not trying to rub that in...I'm going off topic to recommend buying tickets to the Beyond Van Gogh immersive experience coming to Cloverdale in February. Perhaps a family Christmas present if some last minute Christmas shopping has been curtailed  with the weather? 

 

We saw it in the desert yesterday and it was fabulous. Both kids and adults really enjoyed the aptly named "experience". https://vangoghsurrey.com/

 

Seasons Greetings. Keep safe.

 

Don

 

 

 

 

 

Good on you for getting away.. enjoy

Send us pics.. The -27 here this morning is a little depressing 

My buddy is heading to Phoenix for the new year .... he is down until mid April 

I may need to sneak down there for a visit 🤔 

Edited December 21, 2022 by Shushwap

[myspinonit]

9 hours ago, Shushwap said:

Good on you for getting away.. enjoy

Send us pics.. The -27 here this morning is a little depressing 

My buddy is heading to Phoenix for the new year .... he is down until mid April 

I may need to sneak down there for a visit 🤔 

The few golf type pics I've kept are from Big Rock at Indian Springs. I deleted a bunch after sending them to a friend who golfs and plays  guitar in a couple of bands. A music vibe is on the course (tee markers etc.) and in the clubhouse/ pub and clubhouse washrooms. Plus a band setup on a stage and I think the place rocks a bit at night.  The  imbedded "box" in the second picture contains what my Palm Springs  buddy and I think is a piano.

 

 

Edited December 22, 2022 by myspinonit

[mukster]

Enjoy. We play there every time we go down to the desert. Took this a few years ago. These were our menus. 
 

[myspinonit]

On 12/22/2022 at 8:36 PM, mukster said:

Enjoy. We play there every time we go down to the desert. Took this a few years ago. These were our menus. 
 

Yes, thanks for the reminder. I neglected to take pics of the menus.

Edited December 25, 2022 by myspinonit

[Phireside]

Anyone considering a round this weekend?

[mukster]

10 hours ago, Phireside said:

Anyone considering a round this weekend?

Hoping to get out on New Year’s Day 

[The Beav]

Have rounds booked for tomorrow and Monday.   This will have been the longest layoff from swinging a club I've had in a couple years.  What could go wrong?

[Shushwap]

Currently on the plane to Florida.. no golf for me anytime soon as my clubs were sent off to ping for a refresh at the end of Oct and I still haven't seen them 

[Phireside]

1 hour ago, Shushwap said:

Currently on the plane to Florida.. no golf for me anytime soon as my clubs were sent off to ping for a refresh at the end of Oct and I still haven't seen them 

Rentals suck but they are better than not playing

[The Beav]

Played MC this morning.  It was in remarkable shape considering the weather we've had, and greens especially were rolling well.  Come to think of it I didn't have 1 plugged ball all day.

[Phireside]

1 hour ago, The Beav said:

Played MC this morning.  It was in remarkable shape considering the weather we've had, and greens especially were rolling well.  Come to think of it I didn't have 1 plugged ball all day.

Good to hear. I may try to get out there on Monday.

[Shushwap]

On 12/30/2022 at 3:34 PM, Phireside said:

Rentals suck but they are better than not playing

True.. the weather is amazing.. I should try and sneak away this week 

[mukster]

Played this morning at Meadow Gardens. Shotgun start so everyone can enjoy the New Years day. Had soft rain for the most part, but not enough to spoil the morning. Course has done remarkably well despite the weather. A number of bunkers were little lakes, otherwise good. 

[The Beav]

Kings Links yesterday for us.  No rain but the wind had some serious bite to it.  Course was good, no complaints.

[bb123]

Did the front 9 at Langara this afternoon, and the drainage improvements they have done over the last couple years have paid off big time. Fairways were pretty nice and dry instead of the usual mud pits, and the greens  were in great shape and actually pretty fast. The big cross lines for the drainage are growing in good now, and think it will look pretty nice out there come spring time. 

[The Beav]

Played The Ridge this morning and froze our arses off haha.  

 

I'd steer clear of the course TBH.  $90 with a warmup bucket, goose droppings EVERYWHERE (can barely take a step without stepping in one), low areas very wet and muddy, and they have those stupid ropes up around most of the greens again.   My one buddy had 2 shots hit the rebar stakes today.

 

 

[Shushwap]

Anyone played homestead farms in lynden... I may head down to morgan for a putter fitting next month.. if I do I plan to order a few expensive items into my box in sumas... 

To beat duty and taxes well probably stay in bellingham for the weekend 

I was thinking of sending the wife and kid  shopping and have them leave me at the course 

Looking for something cheap to kill a few hours and it seems to fit the bill... it's either that or I get to sit in the car for hours while they shop 

$40 canadian with a cart.. how bad can it be 😆 

[Phireside]

35 minutes ago, Shushwap said:

Anyone played homestead farms in lynden... I may head down to morgan for a putter fitting next month.. if I do I plan to order a few expensive items into my box in sumas... 

To beat duty and taxes well probably stay in bellingham for the weekend 

I was thinking of sending the wife and kid  shopping and have them leave me at the course 

Looking for something cheap to kill a few hours and it seems to fit the bill... it's either that or I get to sit in the car for hours while they shop 

$40 canadian with a cart.. how bad can it be 😆 

I haven't played there but heard good things though drainage could be an issue. I would highly recommend North Bellingham. Great course and drains well, akin to drainage at Morgan. The course is just up the road from the mall so you could be dropped off and picked up. Looks like they also do a stay and play at the holiday inn.

 

Edit: Couldn't find it on their site, but they used to offer a discount equal to the number of points the Seahawks scored the previous Sunday if you played on Sunday and mentioned the score. I guess it was to encourage play on a day when many were staying home to watch the game. I got something like 48% off the one time I took advantage of this.

Edited January 22, 2023 by Phireside

[The Beav]

Homestead is fun (unsure on winter conditions), but Phireside is correct, North Bellingham is the play at this time of year.

It's basically the Oakmont of Whatcom County lol.