Golf Digest's Top 100 Courses In The World I Probably Won't Be Able To Play

       Golf Digest has published its top 100 golf courses from around the world. They are all wonderful courses that I am sure that all golfers would do almost anything to play.  Unfortunately, the average golfer won't be able to for a number of reasons. The major reasons are that they are either private and closed to the public, or are too expensive and can set back the average golfer a year's salary.  Many are on the other side of the country or in many cases the other side of the world so traveling to the courses would be extremely prohibitive. I'm OK with that, but I have trouble with the green fee cost and the "elitism" of those courses that are private.
      Golf should be a game where the average person can play and are not excluded because of class or economics. I'm not saying free golf for everyone, that just is not feasible putting a tremendous strain on venues and on golfers who complain about slow play.  Slow play is bad enough as it is.  What I am saying is that golf should be affordable to those who want to play.  I am not talking about those who can afford exclusive courses and clubs.
      Golf Digest loves to come out with "Top Courses" lists.  One of the lists just published was their "Top Public Courses You Can Play" list. Great job Golf Digest, but most of the courses on that list were extremely expensive as well. Most had green fees of over $100, and a good many of them the fees hovered around the $200 to $300 levels.
      I have played Torrey Pines and Pasatiempo because I live on the West Coast in California, but I can' t play them on a regular basis.  I would rather play Coronado or Balboa Park  in the San Diego in the San Diego Area and pay less for great golf.  In the Monterey Bay Area I have played Pasatiempo in Santa Cruz which is a fine historic course, but I would rather save my money and go up the hill and across the freeway and play DeLaveaga.  With the money I saved, I could get a room and have a great meal--maybe a pizza and motel 6--in San Diego or Santa Cruz. I don't even want to mention what it would cost to play Pebble Beach.
     As golfers we fight a battle against the perception among non-golfers that golf is an elitist sport reserved only for "rich, white men" and played at mostly private courses. Nothing could be farther from the truth.  Golf is a game for the masses and how can we bring more average people into the game when the image of the game is so elitist?  You can come to my course and see who the golfer is. I have written about this many times. When Golf Digest publishes lists like this, it puts forth that elitist image and does nothing to combat that image. Yes, these are some great courses and should be showcased. But please Golf Digest, do more for the average golfer. There are a lot of magnificent courses I can afford to play.

Check out my DeLaveaga video on YouTube: https://youtu.be/pUzEB0tmzMQ

This is a great course in the hills above Santa Cruz in the Monterey Bay area and you can play it for around $60 with cart.