Putting aside anything economy-related for the purpose of this discussion, just how much is too much to pay for playing a single round of golf, even on a beautiful, seaside course that has hosted a major championship or two?
Pebble Beach Golf Links has set the standard for exorbinant greens fees, especially when you factor in a stay at the Pebble Beach Resort, which is the quickest way to gain access to a tee time at the course that has hosted four Men's U.S. Open Championships, one PGA Championship and is set to host yet another U.S. Open next year.
The price to pay Pebble Beach is $495 (www.pebblebeach.com), plus applicable caddie/cart fees.
Across the pond, it will cost you 210 euros, roughly $292 USD, to play Turnberry, site of the upcoming 2009 British Open Championship, according to a recent report by the UK's Daily Record. The new fees set by new owners Leisurecorp, a Dubai investment group, make Turnberry the most expensive course in Britain, along with Wentworth in Surrey, which is hosting this week's BMW PGA Championship event on the European Tour.
Turnberry is now the most expensive course in the Open Championship rota by a good margin, besting the likes of Muirfield (175 euros), Royal Troon (160), Carnoustie (130) and The Old Course at St. Andrews (130).
The Daily Record article had some interesting sound bites from an editor at the Scottish golf magazine, Bunkered.
"Golf is becoming more and more popular and the prices will be fixed at what the market can take," editor Bryce Ritchie told the Record. "There are some horror stories coming from the US where ordinary municipal courses are charging $150 a round. So the Turnberry fees must be taken in context."
I'm not sure what US Mr. Ritchie is talking about, unless he is referring to Chambers Bay, site of the 2015 U.S. Open. Technically, Chambers Bay is a municipal course and costs $169 plus other applicable fees. But that's hardly an ordinary course.
Understandably, the ability to play on such noteworthy courses is a social status symbol, and it does take a considerable amount of money to keep these world-class courses primped and proper for their visitors, but can a single round of golf be worth $495 even $295?
Maybe if you have the round of your life.
I've played Harbour Town Golf Links each of the past two years in conjunction with Verizon Heritage Media Day, meaning I played for free so I should be branded or cained in a Singapore street for complaining, and while the course is incredible and hosts a PGA Tour event every year, I would think long and hard about ponying up $275 to miss fairways all day.
If I plunked down $495 plus resort costs to play Pebble Beach and played subpar golf, I'd have a difficult time justifying the price. And god help me if the battery on my digital camera died. After all, I can take a nice walk on the beach for free just about anywhere in California.
Even with our frivilous spending and financial irresponsibility coming into question as a result of the bailouts, housing bubble bust and credit crisis, I don't expect greens fees at the country's premier courses to come down any. But I don't think it would be unreasonable to wish that they'd at least be lowered to what an average American pays toward the balance on his/her vehicle each month.