Does anyone realize the cost to maintain a nice course to a high level? The cost of fertilizers, pesticides, fungicides, equipment and the maintenance of, employee pay, water (my son was the super at a high end course in Southern California and their water bill average was over $60,000 per month for recycled, undrinkable water). Maintaining bunkers, repairs to fairways, tee boxes, greens, sprinkler heads, broken water lines, etc., computerized watering systems. Quite expensive. That is probably the reason courses aren't maintained like in the past. If you do maintain to immaculate condition, hence high prices. With declining play very hard. Forgot to say that most of the courses in Southern Cal. are managed by outside companies who are for profit organizations, so the more they can cut the maintenance costs, and still keep the members happy, the more profit for their company.