Now there is great news for anyone travelling south this year who hopes to include golf in their plans. I'm a lifelong golf addict who has crossed North America on numerous occasions with two of my sons, as they were very active in competitive junior golf tournaments. I became concerned about the rapidly rising cost of good golf and began searching everywhere we went for those "gems" that all golfers love to find – courses that offer an increasingly rare combination of excellent golfing experience and prices that seem to have stalled in the 1960s. You know the ones that I mean. They are the golf courses that still offer outstanding enjoyment and value for your money.

Unfortunately, these marvelous places can be very hard to find. In order to keep their prices from escalating, they do not engage in expensive advertising campaigns, and, as a result, they are usually known only to local golfers, which is not much help to those of us who travel and golf along the way.

When a major golf magazine polled its readers recently and asked what they liked about the publication and what they could improve upon, the number one complaint was, "Please stop telling us so much about these admittedly gorgeous, but oh-so-expensive golf courses that we could never afford to play. Instead, tell us more about excellent courses that we can actually afford to experience". This can be rather difficult for magazines, I gather, as advertising revenue is so essential. But I could do it, and I did. I have gone to great lengths to ferret out information about great bargain courses on which you will truly love to play. I was stunned, frankly, by the quality and the number of these superb hidden values that I had been passing by, completely oblivious of their existence. I was so taken aback by this discovery that I felt all golfers should have access to this information. The result is my new book, "The Best Bargains in Golf". I became so obsessed with this that I actually gave up my law practice in order to travel and publicize my book and to do further research for future editions.

My book details bargain courses and suggests superb yet unbelievably affordable golf trips everywhere in Canada and the United States. They are all displayed on handcrafted, full colour maps. If you find yourself in any of these states, try these golf courses and let me know what you think:

Texas

Fort Worth – Don't miss the Cross Timbers Golf Course, a wonderful bargain and a scenic gem. It's tough to walk, but seniors (60+) pay just $20.00 on weekdays, and this includes the cart. Telephone: (817) 444-4940.

Louisiana

Mallard Cove, located near Lake Charles, is an outstanding value of just $13.50 to walk on weekdays. They are determined to provide the very best golf experience they can at the least possible cost. Telephone: (337) 491-1204.

Florida

The best values here are offered in November, just before high season begins, which is when the prices get "high" as well. In the Pensacola area, the Fort Walton Beach Golf Club offers 36 very walkable holes. It's regularly $22.00 to walk, but has been reduced to just $19.50 at twilight, and this includes the cart. Telephone: (850) 833-9530.

Georgia

The State Park courses located throughout Georgia are some of the best unknown values in golf. A particular favourite is the Georgian Veterans Memorial Golf Course, located just west of I-75 (exit 33), near Cordelle. At $16.00 on weekdays, you will not believe what you'll get for your money.

A little further north, again off I-75, don't miss the Nob North Golf Course, near Cohutta, or the Fields Ferry Golf Course, near Calhoun. Both are absolutely superb, four-star courses for about $20.00 on weekdays. Nob North Golf Course Telephone: (706) 694-8505. Fields Ferry Golf Course Telephone: (706) 625-5666.

by Ted Wilson

If anyone wants any further information with respect to these courses, or any others, I can be contacted through my website at www.bestbargainsingolf.com or at (519) 389-0918. Wherever I go, I look for more outstanding but overlooked values for the next edition of the book. I'd also love to benefit from your experiences and I will be happy to consider them for inclusion in future editions of "The Best Bargains in Golf".