At Shadow Creek, in Las Vegas, greens charges jumped by 25 %.
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Cash, cash, cash.
This previous yr in golf was awash in it. Eight-figure first-place prizes. Nine-figure player contracts.
The sums have been astounding, and what they mentioned concerning the sport grew to become a supply of some dispute. Relying in your view, the elevated purses and indulgent signings both signaled that skilled golfers have been a) wildly overpaid or b) lastly getting what they deserved. Regardless of the case, the sheer quantity of moolah was enough to warp perspectives.
“Generational wealth is there available,” LIV CEO Greg Norman enthused, describing the attract of the Saudi-backed circuit. As if the monetary welfare of, say, Jon Rahm’s grandkids may in any other case be doubtful.
And it wasn’t simply the professionals.
Huge cash flooded the leisure sport, too. All over the place you turned, it appeared a lavish new membership was enrolling well-heeled members. In New Jersey, baseball star Mike Trout introduced that he was constructing a course that he’d named in his personal honor. In Florida, a non-public redoubt opened with a Norman-design structure. The initiation dues? $1 million.
Throughout the nation, high-end resorts and daily-fee programs have been packed. Some raised charges. In April, Pebble Beach bumped its greens charges to $625. At TPC Sawgrass, peek dynamic pricing pushed the price of a spherical above $800.
All of which made headlines. However on GOLF.com, no story drew extra clicks than a put up concerning the most expensive greens fee of them all.
Ever because it opened, in 1989, Shadow Creek Golf Course, in North Las Vegas, had been a spot aside. Designed by Tom Fazio, and bankrolled by on line casino magnate Steve Wynn at a reported value of roughly $60 million, the impeccably stored structure existed for years as a Shangri-La reserved for the best of high-rollers. In 2000, although, MGM Resorts Worldwide took over from Wynn and flung the gates open, type of. Anybody might now play Shadow Creek — supplied they have been staying at designated MGM property and have been keen to shell out $500.
What appeared costly then comes off as rooster feed as we speak.
In newer years, as Shadow Creek has loved rising nationally televised publicity because the host of a sequence {of professional} occasions (beginning with The Match: Tiger vs. Phil, adopted by the PGA Tour’s CJ Cup and the Financial institution of Hope LPGA Match-Play occasion), its charges have grown as nicely. In 2019, $500 grew to become $600, which swelled to $1,000 in 2021.
If you happen to suppose that what goes up should finally come down, you could be proper. However 2023 was not the yr for that. Not at Shadow Creek. This previous fall, MGM raised charges once more. To $1,250. Caddie not included. Although you do get a limo experience to and from the course.
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