The Private DG Course Model

[DavidSauls]

My impression is that Bucksnort is not run as a profitable business, in the way the O.P. framed it.

It's limited to a small number of players per day.

[Doofenshmirtz]

Originally Posted by DavidSauls

But $10 is a lot; some people will pay, but how many?

That this is true is one of the saddest things about disc golf and why growing the sport with the young is crucial. An average golf round, back when I was playing golf, was incredibly expensive relative to disc golf. Each time I played, I payed around $40 in green and cart fees, and an added $10, at least, in other items - balls, tees, gloves and other equipment spread over a number of rounds. That was 15 years ago.

While I don't think pay-to-play will ever be the dominant model, because of the need for larger tracts of land than many other community subsidized sports, if disc golfers want nice courses, they will have to get used to paying course owners a bit more. $10/day/course, up to two courses, should be the norm IMO (i.e., if there are two or more courses on site, the per day fee should be $20).

Of course, the fact that a quality disc golf course can be placed on land unsuitable for other sports and uses is a strength that may help keep the land costs down.

[gbbiv]

This is just one guys opinion so take for what you paid for it. I don't mind paying to play on a decent course. But I like to play "a lot". So for any course near me I'd really want an annual membership that was reasonable... So that if I wanted to play say 5 local courses regularly it would still be reasonable... or maybe they would work out a deal for people that wanted to play at a bunch of courses. I would really, really, really dislike having to pay each time I showed up... so maybe just a system that had my card or paypal or something on file would solve that... but don't take away any of my play time messing around with lines and forms and such... at least not if I'm a regular. I do realize I always have the option to just not play someplace... but I always hope to find a middle ground to give my business in a mutually beneficial way. There are a lot of places I don't ski... because I don't want to pay $1000 per year at each play or $100 per day for a one off.

[Cgkdisc]

Something Snapper Pierson told me many years ago is that their monthly fee at Morley Field was more popular than their annual fee even though you can play year-round in San Diego. Disc golfers find it easier to think in terms of how many rounds they might play in a month versus a year to determine cost/benefit. They would rather pay a higher price buying 6 months, one month at a time rather than the annual fee for overall less money. It's not that I've checked in depth but it seems like most P2P locations just have daily and annual fees.

[DavidSauls]

Originally Posted by gbbiv

This is just one guys opinion so take for what you paid for it. I don't mind paying to play on a decent course. But I like to play "a lot". So for any course near me I'd really want an annual membership that was reasonable... So that if I wanted to play say 5 local courses regularly it would still be reasonable... or maybe they would work out a deal for people that wanted to play at a bunch of courses. I would really, really, really dislike having to pay each time I showed up... so maybe just a system that had my card or paypal or something on file would solve that... but don't take away any of my play time messing around with lines and forms and such... at least not if I'm a regular. I do realize I always have the option to just not play someplace... but I always hope to find a middle ground to give my business in a mutually beneficial way. There are a lot of places I don't ski... because I don't want to pay $1000 per year at each play or $100 per day for a one off.

Seems I read about some course in the Minnesota or Wisconsin area trying a pass system, or at least considering one, where one payment bought entry to multiple private courses.

Your point is a good one and one of the hurdles for pay-to-play. Many disc golfers like to play often, and to play a lot of different courses. $10 might be a good deal for one course, one day, but starts to get pricey if you're doing it on a daily basis, on any of a dozen different courses.

[Anon]

I'd be interested to find out how the Three Rivers group out of MSP is doing financially as they operate a couple P2P facilities right in the heart of the metro. Granted.... they do more than just disc golf but I'd think if anybody was having success they might be the ones.

BRP is crazy busy almost always. To the point that playing the course can be a hassle. The owner has to be turning a decent profit but obviously isn't giving up his day job anytime soon.

[Steve West]

Originally Posted by Anon

I'd be interested to find out how the Three Rivers group out of MSP is doing financially as they operate a couple P2P facilities right in the heart of the metro. Granted.... they do more than just disc golf but I'd think if anybody was having success they might be the ones.

BRP is crazy busy almost always. To the point that playing the course can be a hassle. The owner has to be turning a decent profit but obviously isn't giving up his day job anytime soon.

Three Rivers has various levels of self-support they expect of different activities. Disc golf is targeted to be partially self-supporting.

And I don't think they pay property tax.

[Anon]

Originally Posted by Steve West

Three Rivers has various levels of self-support they expect of different activities. Disc golf is targeted to be partially self-supporting.

And I don't think they pay property tax.

Do you know if the land Three Rivers operates on was purchased by them? Or do they just work as 'stewards' for already existing park land?

[Pwingles]

Of the more known P2P places, selah, BRP, VQ, etc, how many offer a seasonal/yearly type pass? Also, are there family pass options or an equivalent? If so, about how much on average are these being priced at?

I feel like these types of operations should offer something similar to what I described since it just makes sense to me, but maybe not everyone sees it that way.

[pearlybakerbest]

Originally Posted by Pwingles

Of the more known P2P places, selah, BRP, VQ, etc, how many offer a seasonal/yearly type pass? Also, are there family pass options or an equivalent? If so, about how much on average are these being priced at?

I feel like these types of operations should offer something similar to what I described since it just makes sense to me, but maybe not everyone sees it that way.

Brackett's Bluff charges 50 for yearly membership, not sure about the courses you mentioned.