how much for a pay to play?

[JR Stengele]

$5 a day or a $60 annual pass is worth it.

:thmbup:

 

[Danger]

LA Prices:

$2 - All day at Veterans Park in Sylmar
$2 - All day at Huntington Beach
$11 - 2 laps at Van Buren Golf Center in Riverside
$10 - 18 hole par 63 bolf course in Oceanside with a golf cart
$5 - 2 laps at a 9 hole bolf course, walking
$7 - All day at Sky High
$3 - All day at Morley Field
$10 - All day for a car load at Lake Casitas
$10 - All day for a car load at Yucaipa
$10 - All day for a car load at Prado
$10 - All day for a car load at Piru (9 hole)

Based on all that, if its a descent course, I voted for "More than 5 dollars per round." Pay to play is the future of the sport, so lets encourage it.

 

[DavidSauls]

It doesn't HURT me, but it means that I am paying significantly more for essentially the same services. We play the same course, at the same time, using the same carts -- traditional golfers are going to be pissed if they're paying more for that.

I am a skeptic of the disc-golf-on-ball-golf-course concept, but one way it can be presented to the existing ball golfers is that this is additional revenue which can help maintain their course (or even keep it open). Doesn't have to be equal revenue, just additional revenue.

Our new local course, River Chase, is 13,000' from the long tees, and a long way from basket to next tee. I can't imagine many disc golfers not renting carts.

 

[Danger]

^Every disc-golf on ball-golf course I have played charges a lower rate for disc golfers, even with a cart. It is pretty simple why. We are paying for the relatively inexpensive baskets, and we play the ball golf greens as OB. The golfers are paying more because they depend on the considerably more expensive greens to be perfectly manicured. We are paying for a far less expensive product, and therefore we are paying less.

 

[VyZx]

I have been saying since I started I would LOVE to be able to pay to play, just to not deal with mobs of teenagers and drunken hobos getting in my way.

I would easily pay $100 for a year membership.

 

[sgamerp]

From what i've seen on parks you need a day passs is about 5 bucks a day, or like 50-75 a year. It depends on what it has to offer. If it's nice and it offers me a cart and has a Pro Shop and a beer girl, I'd pay 10 to 15 bucks a round for that.

 

[Sadjo]

I am a skeptic of the disc-golf-on-ball-golf-course concept, but one way it can be presented to the existing ball golfers is that this is additional revenue which can help maintain their course (or even keep it open). Doesn't have to be equal revenue, just additional revenue.

Our new local course, River Chase, is 13,000' from the long tees, and a long way from basket to next tee. I can't imagine many disc golfers not renting carts.

I can see walking it in the spring and fall. Not in the heat of summer.

A course like River Chase is in a small town and it is more of a blue collar course. The course is there because it can and will create additional revenue that will help with the expense of running the course.

I can't say if this is the reason other courses have added Disc Golf but it is the reason it was added at River Chase.

 

[Sunday Mike]

Been playing almost 9 years and I have never paid to play.

 

[wkelly42]

Disc golf on a ball-golf course is a novelty. I don't know if it will work in all situations in all courses. I'm not sure most traditional golfers will appreciate the extra revenue when it leads to overcrowded courses -- especially when the extra people are paying a fraction of what the regulars have been paying for years. It also leads to a perception that disc golf is a lesser sport -- people value what costs more. Not saying it's true -- just saying that's what people think.

 

[Billipo]

You guys are hitting on some of my concerns with this particular course and the feedback is real good. In the end, I need to provide guidance to the course managers as to what would be an appropriate fee schedule - all things considered including the reaction of the ball golfers.

Remember this is a real circumstance for a disc course on a par three ball course (short - under 5000') no carts, no long walks, fees are $7 for 18 golf holes. Just trying to figure a reasonable price that a disc golfer should be expected to pay and would pay as a local. It will not be a 4 or 5 rated course. It will be designed by experienced course designers as a challenging pitch and putt course geared for casual players (its what the park wants with this install).Their land, their call.

Again I appreciate all the feedback.

Drive long.

 

[wkelly42]

Remember this is a real circumstance for a disc course on a par three ball course (short - under 5000') no carts, no long walks, fees are $7 for 18 golf holes. Just trying to figure a reasonable price that a disc golfer should be expected to pay and would pay as a local. It will not be a 4 or 5 rated course. It will be designed by experienced course designers as a challenging pitch and putt course geared for casual players (its what the park wants with this install).Their land, their call.

Again I appreciate all the feedback.

Drive long.

I'd price it at $7 for the day for disc. Offer disc rentals for a buck or two a round, using an Innova or Discraft starter set.

 

[Danger]

^I disagree. Any green fees on a ball golf course should be per round. Anywhere from a half to 2/3 of the price that they pay. So, $5 a round sounds comfortable for the style of course you are creating.

 

[DavidSauls]

My guess is that once you pass $5 per round, unless it's a fabulous disc golf experience, attendance and thus revenue will fall off sharply. Just a guess, of course, because so many factors are involved.

It is a "free market" issue---doesn't matter what the golf course wants to charge or feels it should get. What matters is how much it'll be worth to disc golfers to play it.

Here there's a decent 9-hole course on a lighted 9-hole ball golf course, $5 per round. There are better, free options nearby, so it gets little play.

 

[DavidSauls]

I have been saying since I started I would LOVE to be able to pay to play, just to not deal with mobs of teenagers and drunken hobos getting in my way.

I would easily pay $100 for a year membership.

Come visit us sometime. Our private course is free to play, but we'll allow you to pay if you want the experience. We'll even create an annual membership for you.

 

[DavidSauls]

I can see walking it in the spring and fall. Not in the heat of summer.

A course like River Chase is in a small town and it is more of a blue collar course. The course is there because it can and will create additional revenue that will help with the expense of running the course.

I can't say if this is the reason other courses have added Disc Golf but it is the reason it was added at River Chase.

Hopefully the regular golfers will recognize and appreciate that fact. If they view disc golfers as revenue to keep and enhance their ball golf course, and not as intruders, it will benefit all.

I don't think using carts to play is all that wonderful....but at a place like River Chase, carts allow the designer to place the next tee hundreds of feet from the previous basket. That would be a bit of a drag walking, but with carts it's easy on the players and gives the designer more flexibility. (They also constitute the nicest benches I've ever had on a disc golf course, when there's a backup on a tee).

 

[Cgkdisc]

In general, the successful business model for pay-to-play is not to try and make your money on the greens fee but on rentals (discs, cart), video games, merch and food sales. A reasonable "all you can play" daily fee keeps players at the site longer to increase the potential for those ancillary sales.

 

[djschnabel]

Good point Chuck, at Blue Ribbon Pines, it's $5 to play all day, and with some of their ponds/streams, it is pretty easy for some to lose a disc. Into the pro shop you go, to pay a little bit extra for your plastic.

Steve W, I hope the plans at TW go much better than last time, are the teeboxes and pins similar to the previous layout, or will they be different?

 

[[email protected]]

Depends. Phantom Falls asks for a $20 "donation", but you get an amazing course to yourself for the day, personalized service, and a beer. Sounds like a steal to me.

Generally, I won't gripe about a couple bucks to play any course. I look at it as a bonus when it's free. Which is almost always.

As for a "ball golf quality" course, we have one here (Widener Park) and are fortunate that the local club keeps it in great shape for free. If they didn't, I wouldn't mind payin' a few dollars to play, though.

I guess it really boils down to whether the course is worth it. If I have to play and it's ratty... No thanks. If it looks like the money goes towards the course... Sure.

Phantom Falls asks for a $10 donation. Just an FYI.

 

[Chiefstang]

Phantom Falls asks for a $10 donation. Just an FYI.

Nice. Everything I've read or seen about this course seems as though $20 is 100% worth it. $10 is a steal. I'll gladly over-donate when I play it later this year, Paul. Can't wait to meet you!

 

[garublador]

You guys are hitting on some of my concerns with this particular course and the feedback is real good. In the end, I need to provide guidance to the course managers as to what would be an appropriate fee schedule - all things considered including the reaction of the ball golfers.

Remember this is a real circumstance for a disc course on a par three ball course (short - under 5000') no carts, no long walks, fees are $7 for 18 golf holes. Just trying to figure a reasonable price that a disc golfer should be expected to pay and would pay as a local. It will not be a 4 or 5 rated course. It will be designed by experienced course designers as a challenging pitch and putt course geared for casual players (its what the park wants with this install).Their land, their call.

Again I appreciate all the feedback.

Drive long.

If it were me in the town I live in (Des Moines with lots of really good, free courses) the only reason I'd go there is to play disc golf with my ball golfing friends. I'd throw discs while they hit balls. I'd be happy to pay the same as them for 18 holes.