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Bandon Dunes coming to WGT

• chrisironsbones 3,524 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 6:54 AM

  YankeeJim:

  A new course, albeit just a par 3, is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

  Give me a sharp stick then and I'll be happy

• TarheelsRule 5,566 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 7:07 AM

  My first comment is that it is better than nothing and hopefully the start of a working relationship with Bandon Dunes that will allow a full 18 hole course.  Frankly I'm not a fan of the par 3 courses on WGT so after the new wears off I'm pretty sure I won't play this one much either.

  WGT is a business and will do what is right for their business model.  Right now their business model seems to say ignore the customer.  There is no reason that WGT can't gain access to 2 championship courses each year.  If the British Open folks don't want to work with you, leave them, go to the PGA, go to private courses, resort courses, etc.

  Interest on this site seems to have peaked about a year ago and we are seeing some of the long time supporters leave or be less active.   If any golf simulator comes along worth a darn, WGT is going to be in trouble.  Listen to your users WGT and communicate with them.

• jimbean346 3,006 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 7:38 AM

  YankeeJim:

  chrisironsbones:

  If Its a cost issue, I'm sure if the elite players could all donate $100 out of their credits.

  Are you serious? You don't raise $100,000, you just reduce the amount of fake money in circulation. The $ that those credits generated are long gone, spent on operations. A new course, 9 or 18, costs real money today, not after it's produced and put out for play. What happens when a new course shows up here? Ball sales might go up but what else is there to offset the copious amount of money spent getting the course produced? That's where the fluff in the Pro Shop comes in.

  We can demand all we want, condemn the powers that be, rant about customers being right, etc., it all comes down to the money. Spend a ton to make millions happy and you're a broke hero. How does WGT make it profitable to them? It has to come from new players and the Pro Shop. A new course, albeit just a par 3, is better than a poke in the eye with a sharp stick.

  YJ is spot on with his assessment. It's widely known how much 'making a new course' costs WGT. Let's say it's slightly more than taking a few snaps, rolling down to your local photographic retailer, getting them printed out and then sticking the pics together with sellotape.

  I don't expect anyone posting here knows the amount of money WGT have to spend on new courses per year. Based on their previous output, two per year is the highest we'll ever see. The primary issue with Bandon Dunes (P3) appears to be whether the money which they use on this course could be used elsewhere to get an 18 hole course which the majority desire. This seems to be a possible underlying concern for  people posting in this thread and it is valid one if this agreement does stop a second full course being made in 2014.

  My hope (as Suncity mentioned) is this is a long-term agreement which will see the four courses introduced over the coming years. We're not privy to the arrangement which Chad has negotiated with Bandon Dunes so before shooting it down in flames, try to look to the future rather than immediately pouring scorn on what we're getting now.

  Personally I won't play a par 3 course more than once or twice but I still see this as a step forward in the right direction.

  • It's better than a 9 hole CTTH
  • It's better as it could open up a long-term partnership between the two companies
  • It's better than just getting 1 x 18 hole SP course (which looks likely to be the case for the second year in a row)
  • It's better to give your target market a wide selection of options - not everyone is motivated to grind out 18 hole rounds day in, day out

  Although CIB's comment about players giving credits back to fund a new course was (how to put this politely) 'rather ill-thought out', I don't perceive everyone would put up a fight at paying a credit fee for a new premium course (per round). We know this didn't work well with tru-golf but this was down to having to pay to play a sub-standard product in relation to what was already on offer for free.

  Well done WGT for taking a step forward; lets hope we see a giant leap next time and it'll get a lot of dormant players more excited about coming back to the game (of which there appears to be a growing number going by the relative lack of activity in the forums in comparison to 12-18 months ago). If they don't get more people motivated to play for more than two months a year (the major(s)), then I perceive the future will look rather bleak for WGT.

• Doublemochaman 2,009 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 7:41 AM

  courteneyfish:

  No we don't. What we have is a Best-Of, an amalgam, a mixture, a unity, a fusion, a blend, an incorporation, a mingling, a selection, a mélange, a pot pourri, a hotch-potch, a conglomerate, a jumble, a mish-mash, a pastiche, an assortment, a farrago or even a gallimaufry. But we don't have a COURSE.

  Someone's been playing with her thesaurus again.

• PN8891 4 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 7:43 AM

  As someone who lives only a 90-minute drive from the Bandon Dunes (not that I've ever played them--I'm not that rich), I'm excited to see something so close to home, that I've driven past (and even flown over during an intro flight lesson), included here.  That being said, I really hope they expand like you said.

• andyson 6,415 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 8:08 AM

  Doublemochaman:

  WGT should, of course, cover the lost greens fees for the day of photography.

  Beyond that there should be no negotiating.

  "cover the lost greens fees for the day of photography."?  Its closer to 10 days shooting on the course for a full 18.  So Bandon could expect 4 to 5 days of disruption just to shoot the 9 par 3s.

  I think it's a major problem for WGT to get any full 18 hole course.  Unless they have the clout provided by the USGA and prestige of a US Open, why would a private course want play disrupted for 10 days?  Why would a resort course want to basically shut its doors for 10 days while WGT shot its photos?  Sure there's some benefit to a resort getting their brand out there to the golfers on WGT.  But in reality, how many IRL course visits will happen because golfers play Kiawah on WGT?   If I was the owner or GM of a resort course considering WGT, I'd surely pick up a phone and give my counterpart at Kiawah a call and find out.

  I think the Bandon Dunes arrangement was the result of a negotiation.  Not wanting to disrupt or lose their top course for 10 days while WGT does their shoot.  They are willing to shut down each course for 1 day while WGT shoots 2 or 3 par 3s on that course.  Because they have multiple courses they don't need to shut down the resort completely.

  That's my opinion and it doesn't bode well for new 18 hole HD courses from WGT.

  We all had a craving for a Big Mac so we went to McDonalds.

  "Sorry, no Big Macs today"

  "Hmm, OK, I'll have a Quarter Pounder instead."

  "Sorry, no Quarter Pounders either, how about a Happy Meal?"

  "Erm....no thanks.  Is there a Burger King close by?"

   

• Jimbog1964 8,378 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 8:23 AM

  jimbean346:

  It's widely known how much 'making a new course' costs WGT

  How much? I don't know! And how much exactly as a percentage of working capital? I have no clue either but on the latter it would be what matters! Not trying to be rude but it's all guess work without that information as to why only a par 3, and I would be genuinely interested to know! I do agree no full course for 2014 would be bad - courses are the main part of the product after all and obviously!

  Anything new is a plus, but it's the communication from WGT that is lacking huge.  On that they have done themselves no favour's at all, and that's meant constructively! What are the plans for a full 18 WGT..one in next????

• DAZZA501 5,972 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 10:09 AM

  jimbean346:

   

  • It's better than a 9 hole CTTH
  • It's better as it could open up a long-term partnership between the two companies
  • It's better than just getting 1 x 18 hole SP course (which looks likely to be the case for the second year in a row)
  • It's better to give your target market a wide selection of options - not everyone is motivated to grind out 18 hole rounds day in, day out

  From the off i slated the idea but after reading what you wrote here James i'm starting to come round to the idea.

  Also what Suncity said about forming the relationship and this par 3 being the start of it is certainly worth thinking about. I really hope you're right on this 1 Sun.

   

• SamanthaWho 3,403 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 12:04 PM

  When first reading Brandon Dunes coming to WGT, it's like when you were little, waking up Christmas morning and hearing a pony outside your bedroon door. Rushing out to find only a toy pony. Somewhat disspointed, but still happy you got a present :-)

• russellfahey 4,286 Posts

  Thu, May 30 2013 12:07 PM

  QueenPuttster:

  WigerToods2010:

  courteneyfish:

  My last post on this pointless diatribe just to put things straight. I have NOT altered any of my previous posts. I have only EVER had one account. Have a nice day.

  

   

  You are as idiotic as your profile pic!

  Courteney is the owner of one of the most, if not the most successful of all CC's.

  She also has a very wide knowledge of this game from experience.

  You start a war with her & you start a war with almost 250 of her loyal CC Members.

  Now go back to sleep

  Queenie

  Lol it's ok trying to stick up for the owner of your CC,but really? you have only been at your CC for just over a month and you come out with such a bold statement,how do you come to the conclusion that your in one of,or the most successful CC??

  You start your thread by name calling CLASSY!! then proceed to initiate School yard bullyboy tactics.Pick on my mate and me and my 246 mates will pick on you LOL.Tiger is old enough and ugly enough to handle anything you may throw at him.He's also a top player and a really nice bloke who tries to help ppl out when he can.

   Oh and by the way,the reason for his profile pic is because his name is Johnny and as you can tell from the pic,it's a scene from the film The Shining which i 'm sure you know the iconic quote from this film?.....Here's Johnny.

  Russell