Best Course for The Money You Have Played?

[GoletaGolfer]

There is an intersection of price vs. value at any course. What course, for you, has been the best bang for the buck? What criteria did it meet?

 

Mine is La Purisma outside of Lompoc Ca.  Well kept, great green conditions, ony 2 adjacent fairways on the whole course, hard, hit most clubs in the bag, greens not silly to putt slope wise (10.5 - 11 stimp), Play well, shoot your handicap. Play stoopid, forget it. 4 Tee box lengths. Not a house to be seen. Golf course is on a huge plot of land.

 

Used to host Q school.

 

$50 to walk. Sometimes cheaper.

 

Delightful test.

 

Have not played any $150 course I liked better.

[elwhippy]

PGA Catalunya in Spain. World class venue and it was no more than £40 when I played it. Southerness in Scotland. Men's 36. About £20. Championship standard links course. 

[milesgiles]

There’s a travel section..

[caniac6]

Wild Dunes Links - free. I used to be in the business, and would get to play for free on occasion. Never abused the privilege.

[LeftDaddy]

Might be taking this in a weird direction, but it was the Old Course at St Andrews for me. I don’t remember what it cost me, but something like 190 pounds, and it was by far my favorite golfing experience ever. Considering I paid 5 bills to play Pebble Beach and it wasn’t even that great (to me), and I’ve typically paid high 100s to mid 200s for course like Torrey Pines and Kiawah Ocean Course, etc. (both very good courses but not the Old Course) then that seemed well worth it to me. 

[EDT501]

When I was a kid my family used to spend a week each summer on Hilton Head. Harbor Towns junior rate, at least back then, was absurdly low. I could play before 7 or after 3 for something like $50. Spent more than one day waking up early, playing golf, meeting my family at the beach, then going to play more golf. Man those were the days...

 

Memorial Park in Houston, for residents, is outstanding value in my mind. The course is a tour stop, is in great shape considering the volume of rounds it does (~60k per year 🤯), has plenty of strategic interest courtesy of the Doak redesign, and has some of the most fun green complexes I’ve ever played on. $30 during the week or $38 on the weekend - hard to beat that in my mind. 

[nitram]

Cabin Creek Golf Club in Griffin, GA. In forty years of golf this was the best bunch of derelicts I've ever had the pleasure of teeing it up against. Nothing fancy, just a good course (with a story) and better golfers. There were two or three contestants who played there that were on the first couple of Big Breaks.

[mikedejong33]

Southern Dunes in the Phx area. We go down quite a bit in the winter, and it may cost over $200 to play most of the high end courses. You can usually play Southern Dunes for like $80 and it is the best course in that area in my opinion. I always love playing it, there are no houses on the course, the range is amazing, it is never busy. Best course I have played for the money for sure when compared to other Phx area prices.

[doctorgriffo]

Pacific Grove muni for $18 twilight. Front 9 is a warm-up for the back, which has the same views as Spyglass, MPCC and Cypress. The back 9 is a really fun, playable links that is always in good condition. 

Edited January 14, 2021 by doctorgriffo

[mci711]

2 hours ago, LeftDaddy said:

Might be taking this in a weird direction, but it was the Old Course at St Andrews for me. I don’t remember what it cost me, but something like 190 pounds, and it was by far my favorite golfing experience ever. Considering I paid 5 bills to play Pebble Beach and it wasn’t even that great (to me), and I’ve typically paid high 100s to mid 200s for course like Torrey Pines and Kiawah Ocean Course, etc. (both very good courses but not the Old Course) then that seemed well worth it to me. 

 

I actually was going to say The Old Course as well. I agree, I think it was 330 for 2 rounds (Old and Castle when I went). Which is a hell of a deal. 

 

2nd answer would be Bethpage Black. 

[ryu123]

Gold Mountain (Olympic) in Bremerton, WA in September at twilight  ($26 + tax). Walkable & serene.

[Austincountyag]

I knot the title says best course, but as far as best experience for the money, I'd have to say playing Banff Springs in Alberta. It costs around $100 US dollars and it was just unreal the views, and scenery. The course was very good as well, but the overall experience was worth well over the 100 I paid for it. 

 

 

 

[Slippin_Jimmy]

Langdon Farms in Aurora, OR (outside Portland) always stands out as a real bargain every time I've played it.  I know they run a twilight special that was like $15 and still I was able to get 18 in.  Even at the regular rate it is a great value.

[CallawayOffCenter]

Good question, Dinosaur Mtn. in Gold Canyon, AZ was amazing and only $50 or so off peak season. Another favorite was this weird little Muni called Cedar Ridge that I stumbled upon on vacation in Cedar City, Utah. No tee times, just show up, about $20 for 18. I got there right at sunrise and was the only one out there. Its right up against the red rocks and mountains, and was phenomenal. Awesome views, great condition. 

[sabram]

1 hour ago, mikedejong33 said:

Southern Dunes in the Phx area. We go down quite a bit in the winter, and it may cost over $200 to play most of the high end courses. You can usually play Southern Dunes for like $80 and it is the best course in that area in my opinion. I always love playing it, there are no houses on the course, the range is amazing, it is never busy. Best course I have played for the money for sure when compared to other Phx area prices.

I agree , it is a very good value for a very good course. Coincidentally, Southern Dunes in Haines City Florida (no connection to Southern Dunes in Arizona) is also an excellent course that is a great value compared to other Orlando area courses. 

 

Southern Dunes AZ photo tour

 

Southern Dunes Florida photo tour

Southern Dunes AZ

 

 Southern Dunes Florida

 

[url=https://flic.kr/p/22RB7LV][img]https://live.staticflickr.com/4672/39286409325_4177826849_5k.jpg[/img][/url][url=https://flic.kr/p/22RB7LV]

Ak Chin Southern Dunes #4  par 3 165 yards [/url] 

Edited January 14, 2021 by sabram

[Medson]

3 hours ago, doctorgriffo said:

Pacific Grove muni for $18 twilight. Front 9 is a warm-up for the back, which has the same views as Spyglass, MPCC and Cypress. The back 9 is a really fun, playable links that is always in good condition. 

I agree. Hence, Pacific Grove is called "poor man's Pebble Beach". I enjoyed playing there, looking at the back 9 views without breaking my wallet. 

Edited January 14, 2021 by Medson

[Edaw68]

A few years ago I caught pacific dunes in January on afternoon replay rates in perfect weather. 40 bucks.

[geesecougar2]

Bethpage Black. $85 for a major championship course, for residents. 

 

Chuck Corica South. $45 for residents for a great track. 

[3_Jack_Par]

Well, not counting Muirfield Village, which I've played for free 3 times 😬, I'd have to say Rustic Canyon outside of L.A. is probably the best value for the money that I have found. Wonderful course, and it's often less than 30 bucks to walk it during the week.

[games]

Timberstone in Iron Mountain, MI. 

 

Back when Golf Digest published "Places to Play" Timberstone achieved the rarified air of the list of 5-star courses which included the usual list of Pebble, Bethpage Black, Pinehurst #2, Blackwolf Run River, Whistling Straits, etc.

[Abh159]

Any course that offers twilight rates in the summertime.

 

The heat is more bearable, the price is cheaper, the beers seem colder, and the scores.... well they're pretty much the same but at least you get to watch the sunset from a golf course!

[DavePelz4]

4 hours ago, CallawayOffCenter said:

Good question, Dinosaur Mtn. in Gold Canyon, AZ was amazing and only $50 or so off peak season. Another favorite was this weird little Muni called Cedar Ridge that I stumbled upon on vacation in Cedar City, Utah. No tee times, just show up, about $20 for 18. I got there right at sunrise and was the only one out there. Its right up against the red rocks and mountains, and was phenomenal. Awesome views, great condition. 

 

With you on Dinosaur Mountain! Have only played it a few times and love the course. But...most of the locals are not fans and I've never understood that.

[azmx]

3 minutes ago, DavePelz4 said:

 

With you on Dinosaur Mountain! Have only played it a few times and love the course. But...most of the locals are not fans and I've never understood that.

You asked why locals don't like it so I'm only saying this because you asked: It is mostly because it is an absolutely terrible golf course from a design perspective.  I mean, it has some very pretty views but other than that I can't think of anything that is even a little good about it.  The 1st and 3rd holes have two of the worst green designs I have ever seen but the whole course is a design mess.  

 

My answer would be Enniscrone.

 

[tiderider]

6 hours ago, Austincountyag said:

I knot the title says best course, but as far as best experience for the money, I'd have to say playing Banff Springs in Alberta. It costs around $100 US dollars and it was just unreal the views, and scenery. The course was very good as well, but the overall experience was worth well over the 100 I paid for it. 

 

 

 

reckon that'll do ... 

[tiderider]

kiawah during the nov-march window/gourmet deal ... figure the hotel room is at least $150 for the night ... really $200, relative ... about $200 for two rounds on the ocean course ... other than big name deals, $50 for a round at lawsonia is  hard to beat ... 

[Hawkeye77]

As the guest of my caddie from a few days before I played Royal Dornoch for 15 or 20 pounds - would have been free but I checked inside the day before to see what he would be charged and covered it. Spent more on whisky after!

Edited January 15, 2021 by Hawkeye77

[ivygynonc]

Pacific grove.  Nothing comparable for 20$ on the planet.

 

Unreal.  Isn't it one of those things millennials say--If you know, you know...

 

Use a Sunday bag and it is amazing.

[GoletaGolfer]

9 hours ago, doctorgriffo said:

Pacific Grove muni for $18 twilight. Front 9 is a warm-up for the back, which has the same views as Spyglass, MPCC and Cypress. The back 9 is a really fun, playable links that is always in good condition. 

I had forgotten about Pacific Grove! Great bang for the buck, and as you said, a wonderful back 9. Five deer watching me from the bunker about 20 feet away. They did not seem a bit bothered by me, and I was delighted to be in their presence. And $18 is a bit better that the $375 for Spyglass. 🙂

[DrDon]

10 minutes ago, GoletaGolfer said:

I had forgotten about Pacific Grove! Great bang for the buck, and as you said, a wonderful back 9. Five deer watching me from the bunker about 20 feet away. They did not seem a bit bothered by me, and I was delighted to be in their presence. And $18 is a bit better that the $375 for Spyglass. 🙂

 

When I lived in Pacific Grove in 1982, the "ocean 9" was actually the front nine holes.   There was no better golf for the money.   The par 5 3rd hole (now the 12th) was one of the great holes in golf.

 

[trentjo]

For me, Rio Secco. Had the chance to play it for $85 late one summer because I was with a PGA Professional at the time. Our crew had just wrapped up filming a talk show for 2 days prior at the course and it was a "job well done" bonus at the end of the week. A round I will always remember and the scenery was gorgeous.