Economy Brings Bargain Arizona Green Fees Worth Golf Talking About

As we pointed out last October in our Golf TAlk post Golf Is Getting Crunched By Wall Street , the golf industry was starting to be impacted by the economic collapse that was being felt across the nation. In fact, we suggested that "This winter we should all be watching the market for fire-sale deals on those golf clubs we've been dreaming about...or scouring the local papers for killer green fee offers at golf courses we normally can't afford." Turns out that was pretty good advice.

This morning's Valentine Day edition of the Mesa Republic newspaper featured an article entitled Golf Slowdown Linked To Economy by Angelique Soenarie and Luci Scott, reporting that golf travelers willing to pay more than $100 for a round in Phoenix and the surrounding Southeast Valley has dropped by about 20%. Longbow Golf Club in Mesa, they point out, saw their players decline from 200 last year to 160-180 on current weekdays, dragging down rates and revenue with them.

Most of those high-dollar players are winter business visitors, whose companies give them golf perks to keep their businesses perked up. The recession, however, has caused corporations around the world to cut back on such goodies. That means fewer golfers from Canada, Minnesota, Iowa, etc. So, the pricey golf courses in the Valley of the Sun started offering perks of their own to enable those companies to reward employees with a get away from the snow and cold.

This has really produced a windfall for all of us ordinary peasant players who are always looking for golf bargains. In addition to good tee times being readily available, good golf courses in Mesa, Chandler, Gilbert, Gold Canyon and other surrounding communities are running weekend specials as well as weekday discounts. Many green fees include lunch, and Web site specials often offer 20-25% discounts to entice local golfers to drive 40 or 50 miles to play. Right now, for example, you can play an afternoon round on the #4 course open to the public in Arizona (where our patio happens to face the 15th green) - the Gold Canyon Sidewinder Course - for $59. That's a 49% discount!

The point is, if you are thinking about getting out from under rain, snow, sleet and misery, now is the time to visit Arizona. It ain't called the Valley of the Sun for nothin', and you can play some of the best golf courses in the country for very little dinero. Here are some great places to check out:

Gold Canyon Golf Resort
Mountain Brook Golf Club in Gold Canyon
Augusta Ranch Golf Club
Longbow Golf Club
Painted Mountain Golf Resort
Talking Stick Golf Club

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