Money, Money Money Part 4

    Are you ready for the solution to the decline in golf?  I have already talked about courses closing and the supply shrinking. Remember, water seeks its own level. That is a good thing for the sport, to a point. What that equalization point in, I don't know.  The point where the demand for play is stabilized with the number of golf courses to play on will be reached, although I don't know what that point is. I hope it goes slightly in favor of golfers so as to keep green fees down. When there are too many courses, you have a lot of competition for that golfing dollar.
     As I have mentioned before in other posts, some private courses have opened their doors to public play.  Their membership is dwindling or they are in a cash flow crunch and need the play.  I applaud this decision. The Club At Crazy Horse Ranch, formerly Salinas Country Club, has followed this route.  I applaud them for that.  It is a great course and I hope they keep sharing the course with we in the general public. You can get a taste of Crazy Horse Ranch by watching my video of the course on my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com or by going directly to http://youtu.be/ZAF3Ve9VH_A.  Madera Country Club has followed the same path.
     I want to talk briefly here about the high cost of equipment.  You have to ask yourself, do I really need that $300 driver or putter.  Will the ProV1 really improve my game. Don't take me wrong, I love it when I come across a ProV1.  It probably is one of the finest balls in the game today. I'm sorry, but I just can't afford the $50 price tag for the dozen. I will play a less expensive ball that I like. Same thing with equipment. I will stay with that Nike Sasquatch that I won in a tournament. It works, and for me it's the swing and skill not the club. I don't want to pay the advertising budget of Nike or Taylor Made, and even though I love Phil I don't want to pay his salary or Calaway's advertising budget.
     Let's talk about the great big elephant in the room, shall we?  Green fees have got to come down.  I don't know how that will happen, but it must. The average person at present rates cannot afford to play as many rounds as they used too because it is getting too expensive--period.
     Thank God for on-line tee time services such as Tee-Off.com and Golf Now.  They started a trend to bring lower cost golf to the public. Courses had unsold times and these companies spotlighted those times and at a discounted rate to the public. That is a great thing. In most cases, you can find a discounted tee time on just about any course you want and save a lot of money.
     I am seeing special on tee times. One of my favorite courses in the Monterey area whose rack rate is $120 for eighteen holes and cart during the week is offering specials at $559.  I would think twice about paying $120, but for that course $59 is well worth it.
      For the longest time, special rates on green fees were almost taboo in the golf industry. That mindset is changing as the industry comes into this time of marketing. Slow dime or fast nickle, that's what it's all about.  Do you want to turn dollars and get people on your course to play it, or do you want the course sitting and rotting, not generating revenue in order to pay the bills.  Basically, that is what the question is today. Courses have to have cash flow and the way you do that is by reduced green fees to get people on to your course to play it. As far as I am concerned, end of story.
     It's Saturday today and I have some things to do so I will end this. Don't forget to check out my website http://the-golf-course-travel-bag.com. I have some great courses featured on the You-Tube page so take a look.  In the meantime, hit 'em long and straight...don't leave that birdie putt short.

We play some beautiful courses in this game. It is worth the cost.