Discussions

First thing the wheat city golf course from my understanding is it's the only 18 hole golf course in Brandon. the others are outside of Brandon. WCG is trying to make it cheaper to golf to get more people interested in it as its a very expensive sport. which is good because I pay taxes so it should be cheaper then a place that doesn't get my tax dollars. People in this town are either cheap or on a budget but still wanna golf. ill be getting a membership as its 930 with a cart rental for the whole year, its a awesome golf course, well kept bc it has the staff to do so. other golf courses want 800 plus 400 for cart rental for the year so 1200 and most don't compare to the WCG. what a joke

The article represents more than just thenCity offering cheap golf. The article is about the unfair advantage a Civic owned or backed business has over a privately run business. I agree that Brandon needs libraries, camp grounds, gyms, pools and recreational facilities and I do not care if they run a deficit. I do care if these often poorly run or deteriorating facilities impact the viability of privately owned and often well managed facilities, and that appears to be the case in today's article and letter to the editor.  
Being a golfer, I happen to know the men that are responsible for writing the letter and they are hard working reasonable people with a lot of passion for golf in Westman and they are making their concerns public as they obviously feel their livelihoods are threatened, so good for them not sitting back and taking it in the a##.

the Wheat City Golf course was more expensive than others?  
 
For 18 holes, it's $29 (2016) at WCG. At Glen Lea it's $33 (2016) for 18. So $4 cheaper. Sunnyside Golf is $27 (2015).  
 
The WCG isn't charging drastically less for 18 holes  
 
http://wheatcitygolfcourse.ca/rates  
http://www.glenleagolf.ca/rates.html  
http://www.shilocountryclub.com/rates-fees/  
http://www.sunnysidegolf.ca/rates.html  
https://www.fourseasonsislandresort.com/oak-island-golf/golf-fees  
 
 
The other golf courses also never had to deal with flood damage year after year like Wheat City has. They had to rebuild sections of the course many times. This is also the first time in 6 years that they are opening right off the bat with all 18 holes open.  
 
 
 
Edited by Trevor B, 2016-04-05 17:27:15

The management of the Wheat City Golf Course[which I am convinced don't know the first thing about running it ] should try to make sound decisions,What they have done with the pricing just shows their incompetence Otherwise they would not need to be subsidized by tax payer dollars ,Price the same as the comparable courses , If the drowning duck cant float let it drown

They are trying to get golfers back that have gone to other courses because of the flooding problems the last two years. Glen Lea and Deer Ridge are both over priced for what they have to offer. They have prospered because of the Wheat City course's water problems, and if they want to compete for golfer's business, they should lower their prices and become competitive. Please don't tell me they need to charge what they do to make ends meet. They make out like bandits.

Daphne said "They are trying to get golfers back that have gone to other courses because of the flooding problems the last two years. Glen Lea and Deer Ridge are both over priced for what they have to offer. They have prospered because of the Wheat City course's water problems, and if they want to compete for golfer's business, they should lower their prices and become competitive. Please don't tell me they need to charge what they do to make ends meet. They make out like bandits. "

I don't remember any of the other golf courses raising their green fees because they had a monopoly when the City course flooded. Their expenses are still the same and I don't believe that they're 'making out like bandits'. Now the City course is reducing green fees to try and lure their golfers back, they're being subsidized by the taxpayers which makes the field uneven. If they wanted to get the golfers to return, offer a better product than the other courses and the golfers will return. I don't think the other course owners are against competition, it just should be an even playing field.

To welcome back golfers in style, special spring pricing of just $32 for an 18-hole green fee and a ½ cart rental will be offered until May 30th!

http://www.brandon.ca/public-notices-details?var=1282

How much does the Wheat City golf course cost the city of Brandon? If they can draw enough business to cover their operating expenses, the course isn't being subsidized by taxpayers. This promotion might be great for the course, if they can draw enough golfers back from the other courses. I think the bigger problem is golfing has become an expensive hobby, that most people are choosing to quit, so the golf courses are fighting over the same golfers.  

Yeah sounds about right. I always liked WCG. I don't care if the city drops the price for one month to get players back.

I get both sides.  
 
If it was a permanent price drop their anger is completely justified. But it's not. It's more of a "grand re-opening" so to speak.  
 
I'm happy the Wheat City is back running. When it's in top shape, which I haven't seen since the last Western Open before the first flood, it's a great track. Hopefully some of the leagues that have went out to Shilo (and I presume Glen Lea) return to the Rec Centre. Shilo was so busy with league play it was damned near impossible to get a tee time after work on a Monday or Tuesday. It'll free up the course for non league players.

your only getting half price on the cart rental, not green fees.  
 
But even there regular green fees are not that much cheaper, only $4 lower. What are the 5 courses that are having an issue with Brandon?  
 
Deer Ridge is $28 for 18 in 2015.  
 
 
Edited by Trevor B, 2016-04-05 23:05:18

These courses are crying about half price rounds!! WHY?  
For the last several years they have all offered 2 for 1 coupon deals all season long, and evening rates with cart for just the green fees, and don't forget half priced Monday's.  
And did I mention the spring and fall specials they all offer.  
 
I hope the sky is falling attitude they have doesn't back fire on them.  
 
Edited by loeog, 2016-04-05 23:12:45

don't see where Wheat City GC is greatly undercutting other golf courses. If Glen Lea and Shilo is crying about WCGC being $4 less, that's pitiful. Sunnyside is less than WCGC by $2.  
 
I haven't seen the entire Brandon Sun article though.

Serious flood damage and an extremely low operating budget has run this course into the ground in my opinion. Terrible conditions. Wouldnt pay 5$ to play it. If the right work and money goes into it, it could be brought up to snuff but it seems to get worse and worse or care of it seems to be less and less. To bad tho. A nice 18 hole course in brandon would be a big plus for alot of people.

The other courses won't have to worry. Being an avid golfer, I go everywhere to golf but I do prefer a course that has nice fairways and greens.  
The Wheat city greens and fw still needs work done. Not the very best and they know it. So to get customers back, they just had to reduce their prices.

WCGC current condition, would you really want to play $33 for 18 holes? Or should WCGC always match or be more than other courses?

It's also quite possible the city decided since the course isn't quite back to par with other area courses, they reduced fees accordingly.

It is unfortunate that Shilo and Glen Lea where lumped in with Deer Ridge in the letter to the editor in the paper IMO.  
Shilo puts out an excellent course year after year, has a good facility and clubhouse and is 18 holes. Glen Lea is making positive changes including new irrigation system, always has nice carts, and a good clean club house etc. and also 18 holes.  
Can understand concern from both of these course with regards to Wheat City's proposed fees as they are both making the investment and showing commitment to their facilities.  
I have only played Deer Ridge a couple times in last few years and not at all last year so I apologize if things have changed. The last time was there observed things like a broken down rusted tractor left for dead many years ago on #9, a worn hitting mat like on a driving range used as a tee box, broken ball washes, old carts and so on. Didn't seem to be a lot going on to earn repeat business and can't justify same price range as other courses until things change anyways.

I can defiantly see where both the city and the private golf courses is coming from and see their issues. But at the end of the day the city is going to set the price at what they want, just like any other business would do and other businesses have no control over what prices the compition sets. I'm not trying to imply that the city is doing this, I don't think they are, but there are 'rate cutters' in every line of business. Ya it sucks, but you have no control over it.  
 
But personally even though I don't golf a lot, when I do golf I don't want to golf at the same course every time so I'm willing to pay more as long as it not ridiculous to golf at other courses. Im sure other people are the same way.  
 
 
 
 
Edited by The_Young_Man, 2016-04-06 00:18:24

As Trevor mentioned, WCG has to contend with flooding. A lot of spring times it's only 9 holes.  
Kids have to learn somewhere. When they are learning,I would think the cheaper the better. Once they have learned they could go to the more challenging private golf courses.

If memory serves correctly, the Rec Centre, or Wheat City Golf Course HAS ALWAYS BEEN SUBSIDIZED, i.e. a city run course. Deer Ridge opened much much after WCGG.  
 
So Deer Ridge opened up in competition to the city course. It was fine for Deer Ridge when they were a new course and just starting out, i.e. not very good, and HAD to charge much less than the city course in order to compete. Now that the city course has had several years of bad conditions from flooding and poor management, and HAS to charge less in order to be competitive it's suddenly unfair???

The city course will still not be in great shape for months to come maybe years . I for one will play at Shilo or oak lake way more than The Wheat City. The condition of a golf course has a huge bearing on what I'm prepared to pay to play a course. You get what you pay for usually and dropping the rates at the wheat city isn't maybe a bad thing. I have yet to leave that course happy about the conditions of the greens or the fairways in over a decade.  
Secondly and maybe of point. When the YMCA built a brand new facility with new weight equipment, tread mills, etc etc there wasn't any complaining about the other fitness facilities having to compete against tax dollars going towards a competitior's ability to draw new members.  
 
This is pretty much the same thing.

simple fact. The privately owned golf courses need to make a profit to stay afloat. Since WCG is owned and operated by the city they don't have to worry, endless supply of cash.

Johnbisonbear said "simple fact. The privately owned golf courses need to make a profit to stay afloat. Since WCG is owned and operated by the city they don't have to worry, endless supply of cash. "

"endless supply of cash"  
 
The use of these words when speaking of any level of government and the spending of tax dollars concerns me greatly.  
 
I do believe that this move by the WCG is a good marketing tool to help bring back golfers that have moved on to other courses since the damage from flooding has happened.

the pricing that's getting everyone in a huff. So the golf course isn't allowed to have limited time specials?  
 
For the Shilo Golf Course, who actually owns it? Is it private ownership or the Canadian Forces?

Trevor B said "the pricing that's getting everyone in a huff. So the golf course isn't allowed to have limited time specials?     For the Shilo Golf Course, who actually owns it? Is it private ownership or the Canadian Forces? "

Exactly....it is a spring special. Is WC going to have to compete with the other courses on their before 8am or twilight specials? The other places offering deals....well everyone should be in an uproar about that too. Good grief....a 1/2 price special for 6 weeks of the year.

courses have an early and late season fee special. And that's because the course isn't quite up to it's prime summer condition.

Trevor B said "WCGC current condition, would you really want to play $33 for 18 holes? Or should WCGC always match or be more than other courses? "

Well, I am an exception that I am a member of Golfing Greys. So I pay $22.50 for 18 holes for the regular season. GG membership is only $25 per year. Worth it for someone like me who golfs 3 or 4x a week. Besides, I don't have to drive 1/2hr to an hour away to golf.  
We have to agree that the WCGC is not on par here with some of the other golf courses. Once it is up to par, I'm sure the prices will go up.