The Private DG Course Model

[Dr.Smooth]

I think the brutal reality is that green fees will go up. And with the changing demographics golfers will pay.

But the hardcore cheap asses may come out less so... well, were back to it is a hard formula to crunch.

For a landowner it is part entertainment, passion and work they already have to do.

I cut a few acres of grass, weed eating, landscaping. I could easily put in a few holes. I'm already doing the labor so why not drop some baskets and charge some money. One thought of how it could all start.

But then you get tied to the course, worries of getting sued, so on and so on... We need like a grant from the government to really make this happen!

 

[Cgkdisc]

Saw a posting yesterday that Maple Hill just raised their daily fee to $20 on weekends (was $10) from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

 

[Mando]

Saw a posting yesterday that Maple Hill just raised their daily fee to $20 on weekends (was $10) from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

Glad someone else is going to be the canary in the coal mine on that one.opcorn:

 

[Cgkdisc]

Seems like $15/day in places other than the Maine region might be the minimum fee to eventually produce a financially sustainable P2P operation presuming they can still get the traffic popular free courses get in their area and their overhead cost was also allocated against some other revenue activities onsite.

 

[sidewinder22]

Isn't Bucksnort $20/day. Lake Marshall is $15/day on weekends/holidays.

 

[heartman]

Speaking of Atlanta, I wonder if North Georgia Canopy Tours could qualify? They have a lot more than just disc golf but their course is supposedly awesome (I gotta make the trek out there next semester), and they don't really have a lot of interference between the course and other things. They do have ziplines etc so it isn't a standalone course itself, but I've got to imagine they make enough off disc golf to have justified the course.

an additional 9 holes are being put in at NGCT too

 

[DanJon]

Years ago, after our local indoor skatepark closed, we went out and found a warehouse, built ramps and started a private venture.

We had a group of keyholders who paid a yearly membership, plus split expenses for bills month-to-month.

Any guests had to pay a $10 fee everytime they skated or bmx'd with us.

It worked great.

Fast forward, our local private course has a similar model.

We're lucky to use their family land, but everyone pitches in for baskets/expenses and then pays a substantial yearly membership fee.

Tournaments raise extra money and random players pay a $10 fee.

It works great.

 

[NathanNoodleArm]

Saw a posting yesterday that Maple Hill just raised their daily fee to $20 on weekends (was $10) from Memorial Day to Columbus Day.

I heard Maple Hill wants to reduce traffic on the course and this is why they raised prices.

 

[DavidSauls]

I heard Maple Hill wants to reduce traffic on the course and this is why they raised prices.

Perhaps.

If so, only on busy weekends.

Though a facebook post I've been following says they were still plenty busy today.

 

[numbernine]

Isn't Bucksnort $20/day. Lake Marshall is $15/day on weekends/holidays.

I came to say something about Bucksnort as well. There are a couple few pay to play joints in the Denver area, and they all seem like "destination courses" based on the reviews. I'd like to know more about that if anyone has any information.

 

[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]

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]

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]

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]

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]

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.