# Gold Courses



## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

I don't know how other parts of the country are doing with regards to golf stores, and courses when considering the state of the economy. Out here in Southern Nevada only a very few places are keeping their head above water. The high dollar course are surviving because they have casino backing. Most of those with no casino help are long gone. A lot more less expensive courses have gone dormant due to lack of business. I read an article in a local newspaper where an area of town where three golf courses are located are all but begging people to give them a try. They actually said they needed more new players to offset all the improvements, and to help with their dwindling membership to run their every day operations. The fact that these same courses treated non-members with disdain prior the fall of the economy is probably an issue with those who remember. Part of their advertisement said something along the lines of "give us a second chance" I just received an email that the pro shop I sometimes frequent is having a liquidation sale. "Everything Has To Go" they are proclaiming. As loyal customer, I will have first crack at the merchandise before it is cleared off the shelves. Pro shops are getting fewer, and far between in the area. Those that are making a go of it, sell more than just golf related items. I know the course I play at get's more than it's share of tourist business, and it is nothing more than a well used muni tract with decent greens. It's sister tract is also busy due to very affordable green fees. Myself I am going to shoot the same scores no matter what the green fees are. I think I am paying $0.75 a hole right now. (8+/- rounds a month) Why pay $3.00 a hole to shoot the same score? Of course in a couple of weeks when we start a cooler climate vacation some where, the price per hole is a non issue.


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

I haven't seen it here. I don't know of a single course which has closed due to lack of patronage yet. My home course is as busy as ever so far this year. 

I worked today (Thursday June 24), and we were booked almost solid from 6:00 AM til after 6:30 PM, even though the temperature topped 98° this afternoon). From 4 PM to 6:30 we didn't even have space for a walk on single. And the weekends are even busier. Last season was our 2nd worst in the last 35 years, and we still made more than $750,000 profit. We are still the busiest golf course in the state.


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

I don't honestly know what the situation here in Florida is, but I haven't gotten the impression that golf courses are suffering. Of course, I'm in Miami, a tourist destination, so courses in places that are more attuned to being used by locals might be hurting and I wouldn't know it.

I'm extremely concerned about what this economy is doing to the golf business in general. Golf courses that are sold will become other things, not just be held to be golf courses again. New course starts are supposed to be down from previous years. Even the first course on which Tiger Woods was consulting on design has been put on hold, but that might have a variety of reasons why... maybe around 125 of them. It scares me that a long time in a slow economy might reverse the trend of opening up golf as a game for the masses and return it to somewhat of an elitist sport as it was thought of long ago. 

Froghair's comment about the price per hole is interesting. It's $1.94 per hole at Calusa, near my house. It's $1.72 at the public course a few miles away. Everyplace else around here is higher, in the range of $4.72 per hole, or $85 per round.

I suppose it could be worse. Pebble Beach costs $27.50 per hole, ($495 per round). At that rate, I had better shoot the highest score of my life. I want to leave a lot of divots to make them work hard for my money.


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## FrogsHair (Mar 4, 2010)

The two most expensive courses I have played out west have been Pebble, and Bandon. I have been on some the higher priced tracts, but someone was else paid for those. Both Pebble, and Bandon were during road trip excursions my wife and I like to take. The Pebble Beach trip was a package deal for 4 nights, and included the SpyGlass course. Of the three courses, Spy Glass is the toughest. As for the price per round, after caddie fees, and such, Pebble, and Spy Glass average a little less than $300 each. Locals do not pay top dollar to play at Pebble. Bandon Dunes was kind of funny. I just pulled off the road, and asked about the green fees. The guy told me $300 which included a caddy. I told him I would give him $150, and settle up with the caddy on my own. He took my offer. I asked the caddy how much he made per loop, and he told me around $35 and tips. I gave him $50. If he would have been a better caddy I would have paid him more. I relate this Bandon experience to let you know that there are a lot of courses where the green fees are negotiable. It never hurts to ask.


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## 373 (Jun 9, 2006)

That's interesting. My cousin Ed, who joined the forum and I don't think ever came back, played Bandon some years ago. Just the other day, I was looking at an article in one of the monthly golf magazines about Old MacDonald, the new course at Bandon that looks like they transplanted it from the Scottish coast. I'd love to go there.


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## Fourputt (Nov 18, 2006)

I costs $2 per hole for a district resident to walk 18 holes on my home course. Add about 70 cents per hole if you ride. But here in Colorado we have a system that is different from most areas. My home facility would be called a municipal course most places, but that is technically an incorrect designation. We are part of the Foothills Recreation District, and not associated with any municipality.

In Colorado, many parks and recreation needs are met by what are called recreation districts. Ours is the Foothills Recreation District. It is headed by an elected board of directors, but the day to day operations are managed by hired professional staff. It is separate entity from any other government area (no city, county or state government interference or bleeding of funds), supported partially from a property tax assessment voted on and approved for by the neighborhoods in the covered region which choose to be a part of the district. The remainder is supported by fees collected for various activities. The district manages all of the free public parks, bike and walking paths at no additional charge. They also manage swimming pools, recreation centers, an ice arena, baseball and softball fields (with associated batting cages and support facilities), soccer and football fields, and 2 golf facilities (my home complex, and our sister course, The Meadows Golf Club).

Foothills Golf Course (my home golf complex) is comprised of 3 separate courses: a 9 hole par 3 course with holes ranging from 80 to 205 yards; a 9 hole, par 31 Executive course with 4 par 4 holes and 5 par 3 holes; and the 18 hole Championship course, par 72 (6930 yards, 71.5/127 from the back tees). We also have a very large (nearly 200 yards wide) grass practice range, a chipping and pitching area complete with its own bunker and green, a large putting practice green, and a lesson area separate from the other practice facilities for professional instruction. We also have a full service pro shop and restaurant.

Because we can offer a good golf experience to players of every level, we stay very busy throughout the season, even though you can find golf for a lower price in the area. We offer 3 playable courses which still offer as much challenge as most players are looking for. Our courses are extremely well maintained (including being properly marked with stakes and paint lines for hazards, OB and GUR at least twice a month), especially considering the amount of play they get. The greens are being maintained at about 10 on the stimp this year. They tried to run them a bit faster (11-12), but the dry climate just makes it very difficult to keep them alive when cut that tight. They are still experimenting with different processes and may yet be able to solve that issue, but we still have some of the faster greens in the area. The bunkers are a bit inconsistent, and some players don't like that. I personally don't have an issue with it, because they are supposed to be hazards, and perfectly maintained, powdery sand bunkers are an unnecessary luxury in my opinion (Why waste the money to import sand? Maybe our native stuff is a bit coarse, but so what?).

Anyway, that's Foothills. I've been playing there regularly for more than 25 years, and I still don't get tired of it. This year we had a cool, wet spring, so the native rough is more than 3 feet tall in some areas... you may find your ball there but you will never be able to put a clubhead on it. I posted the link to this photo in another thread, but I'll do it again here too, just because it's appropriate.


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