Disc Golf, Foot Golf, *stick* golf - How Much Would You Pay?

[Old_Fella]

Okay... So here is the story.

I went stick golfing for the first time in over a year yesterday and i noticed something that really bothered me.

We all know that stick golf is on the decline in America. It takes too long, and it's way too expensive. So, in order keep turning a profit, a lot of golf courses in Minnesota are adding foot golf (soccer ball) to their courses to bring people in.

The problem for me is this. When I asked what it cost for foot golf, I nearly crapped my pants.

$20 for 18 holes of foot golf! :thmbdown:

Now, I know we don't play foot golf here on DGCR, but another tactic that golf courses are adding to the mix is our beloved disc golf.

However, if they are going to charge $20 to play disc golf, I think they are in for an rude awakening.

Part of the draw, love, enjoyment of disc golf is that it is relatively inexpensive. And while I am in favor of occasionally paying a few dollars for an exceptionally good disc golf course (like Blue Ribbon Pines), there is no way in hell I'm going to pay $20 for a round of disc golf on a golf course!!!

So here is my question.

What do you think?

Would you pay $20 for a round of disc golf at a local golf course?

Is this good for disc golf or does it have potential to turn people away?

 

[Tree'd]

I would pay $20 for a day pass to DG ONLY if the facility it offered a minimum of 1 well designed unique 18 hole course and a short 9 hole course. Also I would want access to a pro shop and a clubhouse for food and drink. Long and short is ball golf is way too expensive and DG super cheap (in most places). I am all for a happy medium if playing a PRIVATE course.

 

[Menacewarf]

Most expensive courses I have heard of are Selah (cart certainly compounds the price) and Sabattus which is 9 for a day. I'm sure there are some other private courses out the around 10 or over. Many of the courses in maine have crept there prices up from the once standard of 5 although that holds at many still.

Sabattus is very successful even at 9 a day.

 

[ru4por]

I would pay $20 for a day pass to DG ONLY if the facility it offered a minimum of 1 well designed unique 18 hole course and a short 9 hole course. Also I would want access to a pro shop and a clubhouse for food and drink. Long and short is ball golf is way too expensive and DG super cheap (in most places). I am all for a happy medium if playing a PRIVATE course.

I agree with this. Plus, I have played a few disc/ball courses for 20+ bucks. They included a cart. While they can be a challenge when playing in conjuction with the ball golfers, if it is understood that it is a shared course, things did not go too badly. Disc golf's price has not impact on my love of the game. I have a good job and can afford to spend my entertainment dollars as I wish. I would gladly pay ball golf prices to play a ball or ball type course with the amenities available at nicer ball golf places. Food, drink, lockerroom, carts, beer girl.....just keep grandpa in the shed. I am not fond of the 90 y/o ranger guy, used on most ball courses. You know the guy that comes around bitching at you to hurry up, after dropped 60 bucks to play.

 

[bradharris]

Most expensive courses I have heard of are Selah (cart certainly compounds the price) and Sabattus which is 9 for a day. I'm sure there are some other private courses out the around 10 or over. Many of the courses in maine have crept there prices up from the once standard of 5 although that holds at many still.

Sabattus is very successful even at 9 a day.

Maple Hill is $10 for the day

 

[ElementZ]

The top rated course in Germany is Allgäu DGC and it's price is $11/round (15 holes). I thought it was a bit steep, but it was worth it. Getting a picture on #1's tee is a must-do for any disc golfer in the region.

 

[mashnut]

Sabbattus and Maple Hill have the advantage of lots of different holes to play, so you're not just paying $10 for a single round. It's tough for most players to justify paying that much for just 18 holes unless the course is something really special.

 

[scarpfish]

Is this good for disc golf or does it have potential to turn people away?

With so many free courses available, why would it turn people away? Nobody is forcing folks to play pay-to-play disc golf on a ball golf course. Have any of you who've asked this question perhaps considered pay courses of any type have developed because of some of the issues that free courses are having?

I really think people who fear pay-to-play claiming things like "it will fail", "it will be bad for the game" really mean to say is "it will succeed", "disc golf will become yuppified", "I'll have to spend my inebriation funds on course fees, or have to go find something else that's cheap to do".

 

[markmcc]

I would probably pay $20 for a round of DG at a local ball golf course, IF the course was an exceptional one. But I'd probably only do it once. Sure not going back again and again at twenty bucks a pop.

 

[Photoguy]

Footgolf is ~$10 at the local course that is doing it.

I'd pay between $5 and $20 for disc golf. But that would depend on a LOT of things, many of which have been mentioned above. And as has been said, at the high end, I sure wouldn't be going back again and again. Would be more of a vacation or once-in-a-while treat type thing.

 

[Aim For The Chains]

A disc golf round cost is only $5+tax at Fort Snelling and Wirth currently. I paid under $20 to play most rounds of stick golf as well specially considering where disc golf would even be suitable options to put in. (excluding cart rental)

 

[BirdieMachine]

Disc golf- I'd pay 20 for a day pass but it would have to be a super nice course, not a normal round.

Foot golf- I'd pay 5, not really interested.

Ball golf- I've paid 90-100 several times on vacations.

 

[keltik]

$20 is too much for a daily play. I could see it for a trip or a tournament but not daily or even weekly play. They would have to offer an annual pass or something. Like most others have said I don't mind paying just not $20 a pop. I play for free everyday at lunch (save for the cost of driving to the park from work).

 

[JTacoma03]

Okay... So here is the story.

I went stick golfing

That's where you lost me. It's called Golf. It existed before disc golf and foot golf.

Can we please end this annoying trend of trying to qualify golf with an additional adjective?

 

[Aim For The Chains]

I think people here do it to make sure what is being said is not confused.

Search google for ball golf once. . . and then stick golf. . . and then golf stix?!

 

[bradharris]

I think people here do it to make sure what is being said is not confused.

Exactly. In this particular forum, "golf" is an ambiguous term that needs a qualifier.

 

[JC17393]

Exactly. In this particular forum, "golf" is an ambiguous term that needs a qualifier.

Bingo. It's ball golf when I'm talking to disc golfers or any situation where golf is ambiguous. It's just plain golf when I'm talking to people who wouldn't have the first clue what disc golf is.

As to the OP question, when you consider that 90% of disc golfers are playing on free courses, I'd expect the amount they're willing to pay for a round of disc golf to be rather low. But if you play in an area where the best or only option is pay-to-play, $5-10 is nothing and $15-20+ for a prime course with amenities is something you barely hesitate to spring for. It's all about perspective.

 

[Hampstead]

Disc golfers are notoriously cheap. People don't blink when it comes to spending $12-$15 for a 90 minute movie but heaven forbid they pay more than $5 for a 2-3 hour round of disc golf.

 

[JTacoma03]

Disc golfers are notoriously cheap. People don't blink when it comes to spending $12-$15 for a 90 minute movie but heaven forbid they pay more than $5 for a 2-3 hour round of disc golf.

Hypocritically cheap as well. They'll pay absurd amounts of money for OOP or limited run plastic (oftentimes getting ripped off), and then bitch and moan about the cost of a round.

 

[Old_Fella]

That's where you lost me. It's called Golf. It existed before disc golf and foot golf.

Can we please end this annoying trend of trying to qualify golf with an additional adjective?

Wow... Sorry to offend, I just thought it necessary due to describing the three types of golf in the same story.

Thanks for the feedback, though. I'll try not to offend you next time! :thmbup: