Getting a tee time at Merion is far from an easy task!
For the British golf enthusiast it is hard to understand just how difficult it is to get a tee time on the best golf courses in the USA. Over here, anyone can tee it up at pretty much any course with a bit of planning and cash. The story is very different across the Atlantic.
At most top American golf courses you can only play if a member has introduced you. The understanding is that you should be personally known to the member. However, one degree of separation will sometimes do the job. If you do ever find yourself chatting to a member of Shinnecock Hills or Seminole then be sure to make a good impression and to swap email addresses... Cypress Point reserves the first tee time every morning for unaccompanied guests, as long as they have been personally introduced by a member of good standing.
It's often even harder than this. There are some really, really inaccessible courses where you must only be introduced by a member, but also play your round with them. Merion, Pine Valley and Augusta all fit into that category (though, at Augusta, it is enough for the member just to be on the property. So that should make it easier...!).
However, there are a couple of other ways to get on to some of these courses too - the charity golf outing and the charity golf auction. Many top courses will host a charity golf day once or twice a year - some have it built into their constitution as it gives them certain tax benefits. Tee times are far from cheap and aimed more at corporates than individuals, the best time to look for these is late spring when most charities start to promote them.
You can also find tee times auctioned for many different charities throughout the year and it's worth keeping your eye out, or setting up a Google alert, if there is a particular tee time you are after. Once or twice a year the Charitybuzz site does a big golf auction which often has some 'money can't buy' experiences.
A couple of years ago I was very tempted to go for a round with Justin Thomas at Seminole when he was just known as a friend of Jordan Spieth. Amusingly, in this case it was advertised for 24 hours as 'play with Justin Thomas at Seminole' before they had to change it to 'a famous Florida club' as Seminole wasn't delighted with the publicity!
Anyway, Charitybuzz have an auction going on at the moment and it has a few true 'money can't buy' experiences in there. The auction is support of an American Organisation called The First Tee which 'helps shape the lives of young people from all walks of life by reinforcing values like integrity, respect and perseverance through the game of golf'. So at least you can explain to your loved ones left at home that the huge amount of money you are spending on a tee time is doing a little good. Honest.
The auction includes some lots which you could buy off the shelf, or build the component parts of yourself, for less than the current bid or reserve. So unless you are bidding for philanthropic reasons it's best to leave them to one side. The lots that capture my interest are those which allow you to play at a top course it would normally be impossible to get access to.
Exhibit one would be 18 holes at Merion for you and two friends playing with a member. Lunch, drinks, caddies and gratuities are all included. Merion is currently ranked the 14th best course to play in the world and you are only allowed to play it with a member. The current offer is $3,100 with a guide price of $5,000. Merion does come up fairly frequently on charity auctions (the members must be a generous bunch) and often go for around the $3,500 mark.
Firstly, let there be no doubt that c.$1,200 for a single round of golf is a huge amount of money. However, let's compare it with Pebble Beach. Pebble Beach is one of the few top courses in the US which you can play by just rocking up. Well, that's not quite true as you need to book a minimum of 2 nights stay (3 in peak season) in the massively overpriced hotel. But, let's put that stipulation to one side. Golf and a caddy at Pebble will set you back around $700. Let's call lunch with drinks and a nice stop at the halfway house about $200 and suddenly you are at $900. And at Pebble Beach you absolutely feel like you are on a money-making conveyor belt. I suspect a day with a member at Merion will have quite a different feel!
Another lot of interest is a trip for 4 to Southern Hills (85th in the world) and Prairie Dunes (31st). Oklahoma isn't the most accessible place in the world, but both courses normally require an introduction from a member. Bidding is currently at $4,250, though getting there may require more than a weekend! If you would just like to play Southern Hills then you can do so in the company of PGA Tour player Morgan Hoffmann by bidding here.
If you spread your net wider then you will find the internet has plenty of opportunities to get a tee time at some of these bucket list courses - a threesome at Oakmont closed here yesterday at $800 a head and if it's Winged Foot you're after than Charitybuzz has another auction on the go here.
Of course, if you are at member at an exclusive course and you would really like to have my company for 18 holes then please do just drop me a line. In the meantime though I'll keep the Google alerts on!
UPDATE - I have managed to get rounds at Pine Valley and Merion since posting this blog. Click the links for my reviews.