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Are course in your area jacking the prices because more people are playing golf?

Just for reference, my golf course can accommodate 212 players between 9 am and 5 pm. As of 8:46 there are only 32 tee times open - most non-4somes. They will sell out every tee time - all at rates of $55 - $111. Those same tee times were going for $30-$65 last year. Demand is there and like I said earlier they were closed from March to May which are usually busy times. They still cannot operate the restaurant which makes money so charging these prices are a matter of survival - not greed. They would finish the year significantly in the red if demand was not there right now or if they were charging last year prices.
 
Luchnia said:
The majority of courses around here never closed during the winter or covid, so it wasn't a matter of trying to stay open and doing without revenue as it was in your area.

Because of the mild winter we had, I played through the winter this year and a lot of others were on the courses playing. Often courses were crowded and now more than ever. I am sure some courses that had to close are trying to do all they can to stay open in some areas of the country and I understand that.

I understand supply and demand, yet that does not make overcharging the right thing to do. If I know a course is well managed and struggling, I don't mind at all helping them out to get back on track.

The bottom line for the consumer is they can choose where they want to play and whether or not they want to pay the higher prices that some courses are charging.
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Based on your final paragraph I would say that we are generally in agreement. The course ownership sets the price, and the golfer decides whether it’s fair. If enough people think it’s a fair price, the course will stay busy, if not, it won’t.

In regard to the assertion that overcharging is not the right thing to do: I don’t see that as a moral right or wrong issue. Again, it’s their prerogative to charge whatever they want, and ours to choose whether to pay it.

Pebble charges $500 a round because they can, and the tee sheet stays full. Would I pay that much to play it? No. Is it wrong of them to charge it? Not from my POV.

I’m not tense or anything - I enjoy a good discussion. Cheers!
 
wubears71 said:
Just for reference, my golf course can accommodate 212 players between 9 am and 5 pm. As of 8:46 there are only 32 tee times open - most non-4somes. They will sell out every tee time - all at rates of $55 - $111. Those same tee times were going for $30-$65 last year. Demand is there and like I said earlier they were closed from March to May which are usually busy times. They still cannot operate the restaurant which makes money so charging these prices are a matter of survival - not greed. They would finish the year significantly in the red if demand was not there right now or if they were charging last year prices.
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@wubears71 I was looking to get out first thing this morning and noticed the high prices at your course, but it didn’t bother me. I was there last week and noted that the course is in tremendous shape despite the lack of revenue from the bar, etc, and today I assumed that they’re taking advantage of the high demand in an effort to manage cash flow.

Personally, I’m not up for a $90 round there, but I don’t begrudge them for charging it if others are willing to pay that much.
 
5150 said:
@wubears71 I was looking to get out first thing this morning and noticed the high prices at your course, but it didn’t bother me. I was there last week and noted that the course is in tremendous shape despite the lack of revenue from the bar, etc, and today I assumed that they’re taking advantage of the high demand in an effort to manage cash flow.

Personally, I’m not up for a $90 round there, but I don’t begrudge them for charging it if others are willing to pay that much.
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The rates are actually back to where they were in the paste 90s and early 2000s. St Louis overbuilt so rates plummeted. I’m guessing we will see rates back to where they were last year next season.
 
I normally don't pay attention to the rack rates at the courses because I use Teeoff.com about 80% of the time to book my times. Other 20% I would use Golf Moose, Groupon, or directly at websites of the courses (some offer dynamic pricing.) I play 90% during weekdays and not too picky on the starting time as long as I can finish 18 before dark.

In my area some courses closed for a few weeks but all have reopened. Some others like the city and county owned courses never closed. The big difference I am seeing before the COVID-19 and after is that there are not as many good deals now on Teeoff. Also, there are less offerings on Golf Moose.
 
Luchnia said:
The majority of courses around here never closed during the winter or covid, so it wasn't a matter of trying to stay open and doing without revenue as it was in your area.

Because of the mild winter we had, I played through the winter this year and a lot of others were on the courses playing. Often courses were crowded and now more than ever. I am sure some courses that had to close are trying to do all they can to stay open in some areas of the country and I understand that.

I understand supply and demand, yet that does not make overcharging the right thing to do. If I know a course is well managed and struggling, I don't mind at all helping them out to get back on track.

The bottom line for the consumer is they can choose where they want to play and whether or not they want to pay the higher prices that some courses are charging.
Click to expand...

Just because they didn’t close doesn’t mean they weren’t affected. They had to lay off employees, close the kitchens/dining rooms/bars so no revenue there. The grounds crew is probably still short staffed.
You are correct though, you have the choice to play or not. If you feel the cost is uncalled for, by all means stay home or go somewhere else. There’s no such thing as “over charging”, it simply more than a particular person is willing to pay.
 
Rates have gone up here in Denver, especially on the weekends.

The course by my house was $60 with a cart last summer, this year it is $75. There seem to be less hot deals etc on GolfNow as well.

$60 to $80 for the average course is the new norm on weekends. Guess they have to try to make up for lost revenues and it is hard to find tee times so people are paying it.
 
Matthew said:
Just because they didn’t close doesn’t mean they weren’t affected. They had to lay off employees, close the kitchens/dining rooms/bars so no revenue there. The grounds crew is probably still short staffed.
You are correct though, you have the choice to play or not. If you feel the cost is uncalled for, by all means stay home or go somewhere else. There’s no such thing as “over charging”, it simply more than a particular person is willing to pay.
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Over charging is not the best terms to use. I can only speak for my business practices which has been many years ago as I was in business for a lot of my lifetime, but I refused to allow my hardships in difficult times become my customer's problems just because I could.

I have lost a lot of money during difficult times, but I simply could not use what I considered a bad practice because of difficult times when it comes to my customers. It was not their fault that times were hard and I was not going to make it worse for them because I had something that supplied their need.

I know there were the cost of things out of my control, but what was within my control I had the power to control and I would let my customers know what my cost increase was from my suppliers. I am sure a lot of suppliers now are charging all they can to businesses that can hardly make it on things like hand sanitizers and paper items.

Many would say my business practices made me a poor business man and so be it. I respect their right to that view, but I knew in my heart it was the right thing for me to do as I would not place that burden upon my customers. I haven't been in business for many years now as I decided to get out of it as I got older.

I get that not everyone shares my business philosophy. It is simply the way I believe in treating others. At my age I look back and I miss the lost revenue, yet I am content that I chose the better path in my business practices.
 
The last time I checked a local to me course was only allowing 2 per cart if they were related... and if only 1 was playing, both paid full price. Aside from that I haven't checked since.
 
Nope. Pretty much the same rates as always
 
My local courses only went up $3 this year...I think.
It's $42 for 18 on the weekend before 3pm and $18 for a cart.
 
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