# The Bunker is Red



## cedars (Mar 1, 2007)

We've got a fairly new course that has been run by a management company. The course is in the RED. Losing money every year. Does anyone have any ideas on things that could get this course going with new management?


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

Lots of courses having financial difficulties. During the boom, they over built, now it's catching up to them. I've heard that Myrtle Beach is losing a lot of courses. It's expected that some will struggle and possibly close here in the Denver region. We are a bit over built here too, although I haven't heard of any specific problems. 3 years ago my home course recorded 145,000 paid rounds. That for a course where we have winter for 5 months of the year. Last year it was 125,000 rounds. Still not bad, but down 20,000 from the peak. This course is a public course managed by a tax supported suburban recreational district, and it still shows a profit. Courses that have to depend on the income from golf to show a profit can't usually sustain that sort of downturn.


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## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

I have to agree with Rick, your course could just a victim of too many courses viaing for too few customers. But I also feel that some golf courses are their own worst enemy. If some group has bought a golf course as a high yield investment, it doesn't take the paying public long to see the course going down hill in a hand cart, when all they care about is profits. In order to keep a course up to scratch means you have to re-invest a good portion of the proceeds back into the course,for equipment, maintenance and salaries for people who really care about the course. If the guy that owns the place is out there shaking hands and being a typical golfer, people will know he cares about golf and in particular his course. Absentee landlords end up turning the course over to people who'll do whats absolutely necessary and thats it..... Want to improve your course, get the people who own it involved big time. 

Del


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## cedars (Mar 1, 2007)

So lets say we do re-invest in the course. How big of a role does marketing play in bringing in golfers, and is there an overlying target market for the golf course industry, or is it specific to the region? Last of all, do you think having the name "club" at the end of the course name as opposed to the word "course" deters some from golfing there?


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## Diesel (Jan 15, 2007)

imho, word of mouth will bring you more people than taking an ad out somewhere. 

how much you put back into the course would depend on a lot of things. first is the demographic of where you are and who comes to play. if it's a low tier course, then spending a lot of money on having greens that roll around 12 wouldn't be worth much at all. however, if you have a lot of high end people come, making it into more of a public, "semi-private" style of course may pay off. faster greens, manicured fairways, nice sandtraps, "real" rough... could make it be somewhere where they would be more likely to play.

as for the name, if it's a good course, i think most if not all could care less about what it's called. club/course/place...


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## white_tiger_137 (Mar 23, 2006)

I agree. With everyone. Unless business suddenly picks up, your course has two options. Either re-invest in the course, hoping the gamble will pay off, or do nothing, and go bankrupt a few years down the road. Get people involved - Leagues, tournaments, father-son outings, the kind of things that people will have fun at and will keep them (and maybe their friends) coming back.


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## 65nlovenit (Dec 8, 2006)

Cedars if the course has had a poor reputation, I would strongly suggest taking out an add in the paper proclaiming the new management. The die hards that frequent the course will always come back, but you want to let the rest of the golfing world know that your going to be bigger and better. Problem comes in that you will have to put some effort into sprucing up the place before you run the ad. Incorporate a opening season 4 ball scramble in the ad. Put on a do on for the ladies. Advertising costs money, but you need exposure, promote all the good features of the course, put on 2 for 1's on Mondays and Thursdays. As far as the name is concerned, it depends how dramatic the name is, whether its able to stand by itself or not. *Shady Pines *does not need "Golf Club". *Joes* definitely needs "Golf Imporium" or some such thing. Just a suggestion....
Del


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## cesc (Mar 3, 2007)

How many other golf courses are there in the area? That would help...


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