Courses being shut down

[txgolfjunkie]

There's a 27 hole facility north of Houston called River Plantation. It flooded 3 times in the past 18 months, most recently with Harvey. About a third of the homes had 6 ft of water in them and the course was underwater as well. The course has since changed ownership but the first order of business the new owners did was sell the 9 with the worst flooding issues...to someone who would build more homes. 

 

Part of me is upset that the sold off 9 holes, but the other head-scratcher is why anyone would build/buy in an area that FEMA won't even touch anymore. 

[AH1980MN]

There's a 27 hole facility north of Houston called River Plantation. It flooded 3 times in the past 18 months, most recently with Harvey. About a third of the homes had 6 ft of water in them and the course was underwater as well. The course has since changed ownership but the first order of business the new owners did was sell the 9 with the worst flooding issues...to someone who would build more homes.

 

Part of me is upset that the sold off 9 holes, but the other head-scratcher is why anyone would build/buy in an area that FEMA won't even touch anymore.

Idiots.

[sixcat]

There's a 27 hole facility north of Houston called River Plantation. It flooded 3 times in the past 18 months, most recently with Harvey. About a third of the homes had 6 ft of water in them and the course was underwater as well. The course has since changed ownership but the first order of business the new owners did was sell the 9 with the worst flooding issues...to someone who would build more homes.

 

Part of me is upset that the sold off 9 holes, but the other head-scratcher is why anyone would build/buy in an area that FEMA won't even touch anymore. 

In my company, we call that job security!

[bobcat]

There have been quite a few courses shut down in South Florida.  The hot and humid rainy season seems to get worse and last longer every year so it's becomes difficult for courses to remain financially solvent.  Pressed for money, many courses have to cut back on course maintenance and the result of that is courses that go downhill fast, because neglecting proper course maintenance makes them less desirable for golfers to play during 'good weather' months, (December through April).

 

Sadly, previous damage from past hurricanes is also still evident on many of the courses down here. The cutbacks on course maintenance leave no budget for any widespread tree restoration or replacement. The neglect makes for ugly courses and ugly courses tend to get less play and less respect by those who do play them, you often hear something like.. "Why even bother replacing divots or raking traps at this 'goat track' of a golf course with all it's fallen trees, weeds and and fire ant infestations that seem to be everywhere?".   (A downward spiral indeed).

 

I now know many avid golfers who have virtually stopped playing from May through November now, (that's 7 months out of the year). Those that do still play year-round learn they mustn play before 8am or after 4pm to have any chance of enjoying the experience.

 

It's a very sad downward spiral!  Eventually the course owners and/or operators are forced to give in to the inability to profit from their golf course operations. And if that wasn't enough, consider the fact that there is a very high demand for more available home development land in South Florida.  Acquiring golf course land is the best way for a home/condo/apartment developer to acquire some desirable land for housing development.

 

Selling a money-losing golf course property for a very attractive price to a home developer soon becomes a no-brainer.  Of course it doesn't make homeowners who bought into a lovely golf community very happy when their lovely golf course views suddenly become views of new condo construction, but that's the scenario that keeps happening here in South Florida, and once golf course land is gone, you can never get it back. 

[Rickp]

There have been quite a few courses shut down in South Florida. The hot and humid rainy season seems to get worse and last longer every year so it's becomme difficult for courses to remain financially solvent. Pressed for money, many courses have to cut back on course maintenance and the result of that is courses that go downhill fast, because the lack of care makes them less desirable for play. Previous damage from hurricanes is still evident on many of the courses down here due to the cutbacks on course maintenance. I know golfers who don't even bother playing from May through November now, (that's 7 months out of the year). Those that do still play year round learn to go out before 8am or after 4pm if they want to enjoy the experience.

 

It's a very sad downward spiral.....Eventually course owners/operators simply give in to an inability to profit from golf course operations especially with the high demand for more available home development land in South Florida. Selling the golf course property for an attractive price soon becomes a no-brainer. Of course it doesn't make those homeowners who bought into a lovely golf community very happy when their beloved golf course view suddenly becomes a view of new condo construction, but that's the scenario thats happening to many golf course properties in South Florida, and once golf course land is gone, you can never get it back...

I've lived in Central FL for 6+ years and from what I can tell there haven't been any course closures due to economics. You are correct on weather conditions. From my small sample of years here Last 2 winters were colder than previous 4 years and summer last couple years do seem more humid. Your correct on tee times, we are out around 7:30 and finish 11:30 ish to beat the heat.

 

 

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[bobcat]

I've lived in Central FL for 6+ years and from what I can tell there haven't been any course closures due to economics. You are correct on weather conditions. From my small sample of years here Last 2 winters were colder than previous 4 years and summer last couple years do seem more humid. Your correct on tee times, we are out around 7:30 and finish 11:30 ish to beat the heat.

 

 

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I think because there is still plenty of available land for development in Central Florida, the situation is just not the same there.  The scarcity of land ;for development here is South Florida is a huge factor!  Keep in mind that we are squeezed between the ocean and the everglades while facing huge population growth. The demand for affordable housing is extremely high!

 

With play on the decline, (for multiple reasons), struggling course owners and operators are getting offers from developers that are simply too good to refuse.  Of course, there is a lot of HOA and Homeowner backlash from the surrounding golf course communities, but ultimately the big money wins out!

[Kenny B]

I've lived in Central FL for 6+ years and from what I can tell there haven't been any course closures due to economics. You are correct on weather conditions. From my small sample of years here Last 2 winters were colder than previous 4 years and summer last couple years do seem more humid. Your correct on tee times, we are out around 7:30 and finish 11:30 ish to beat the heat.

 

 

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I used to have meetings every other year in July in either Naples or Orlando since 1995.  There is no way summers can be more humid now.  This said from a desert boy!!

[Rickp]

I used to have meetings every other year in July in either Naples or Orlando since 1995. There is no way summers can be more humid now. This said from a desert boy!!

I'm looking at it from a New England perspective and a small sample. I'm even calling 40* cold now when 6 years ago that was a nice spring day!

 

 

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[tony@CIC]

There's a 27 hole facility north of Houston called River Plantation. It flooded 3 times in the past 18 months, most recently with Harvey. About a third of the homes had 6 ft of water in them and the course was underwater as well. The course has since changed ownership but the first order of business the new owners did was sell the 9 with the worst flooding issues...to someone who would build more homes.

 

Part of me is upset that the sold off 9 holes, but the other head-scratcher is why anyone would build/buy in an area that FEMA won't even touch anymore.

Building homes in a flood plain is just dumb - why would anyone do that.

 

 

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[sixcat]

Building homes in a flood plain is just dumb - why would anyone do that.

 

 

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Happens all the time, believe it or not.  What's more amazing to me, people keep buying the homes!

 

As I said earlier, job security for me.

[HardcoreLooper]

... And we have had one other move to a 12 hole course...

I feel like this isn't a bad move. I'd rather have 12 holes than 0 holes. Build it with six hole loops that come back to the clubhouse, and you can play a quick six holes in about 90 minutes or so. Play a third six if you want to play 18.

[txgolfjunkie]

I feel like this isn't a bad move. I'd rather have 12 holes than 0 holes. Build it with six hole loops that come back to the clubhouse, and you can play a quick six holes in about 90 minutes or so. Play a third six if you want to play 18.

 

I would love for courses to adopt the 6 hole loop concept. I know short courses are all the rage in new course design, but having 3-6 hole loops would be amazing. Charge a 6, 12, and 18 hole rate. You'd probably get a lot of 6 hole play in the afternoons and evenings. I'd much rather go play than practice, but sometimes life doesn't allow for 2+ hours on the course. 

 

If you have access to that sort of convenience, consider yourself lucky. 

[cksurfdude]

There's one course closure on LI that I'm aware of (sure there are a few more) that was turned into a solar farm.

 

Good for the environment, but this course was unique as it was lauded as a real links-style (note I said "style") .. eg. on top of sandy soil, through dunes, etc.

 

As far as any growth in participation in the game it appears to me one place this is happening is golf-like activities such as Top Golf and competitors.

[Rickp]

I feel like this isn't a bad move. I'd rather have 12 holes than 0 holes. Build it with six hole loops that come back to the clubhouse, and you can play a quick six holes in about 90 minutes or so. Play a third six if you want to play 18.

That's a great idea.

 

 

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[Rickp]

I feel like this isn't a bad move. I'd rather have 12 holes than 0 holes. Build it with six hole loops that come back to the clubhouse, and you can play a quick six holes in about 90 minutes or so. Play a third six if you want to play 18.

That's a great idea.

 

 

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[HardcoreLooper]

There's one course closure on LI that I'm aware of (sure there are a few more) that was turned into a solar farm.

 

Good for the environment, but this course was unique as it was lauded as a real links-style (note I said "style") .. eg. on top of sandy soil, through dunes, etc.

 

As far as any growth in participation in the game it appears to me one place this is happening is golf-like activities such as Top Golf and competitors.

I don't have a problem with this. First of all, Top Golf is a blast. Secondly, getting clubs into peoples' hands and getting them swinging is the first step to getting them out on the golf course. Even if only 20% of Top Golfers are converted to green-grass golfers, that's still a win for the game.

[palvord]

I think what some of these ideas are showing is that in growing the game, people can't be so entrenched that golf is only done one way (18 holes, walking) and be open to other ways to put clubs in the hands of people.

 

The joy of the game is that you can play it at any age and any ability and find enjoyment. The more that is done to eliminate entry barriers, the better.

 

 

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[cksurfdude]

Just an FYI... Another article in a Golf Advisor newsletter about munis around the country under fire from City council budget cutting......

https://www.golfadvisor.com/articles/municipal-golf-crossroads-17751.htm

[poprocksncoke]

Another course where I live in trouble.......  http://www.bakersfield.com/news/sundale-country-club-faces-foreclosure/article_dcde64de-7bf0-11e8-a8ec-0fe227f3db66.html

 

Course started out as a City owned golf course before being sold and turned into a private country club.  Back in the 80's-90's business was good, eventually that changed and the course became semi-private.  My Grandma owned a home on the second hole and I used to go play a couple holes when I would visit her      Hope they find a way to keep the course up and running.

[Kenny B]

 

Apparently, this wasn't very popular.  

 

On October 1 the Sun Dance Golf Course in Spokane, WA will close after opening in 1963.   This course plays 6200 yards from the tips through evergreen trees.  Although Sun Dance was not one of my favorites, it's sad to see it being closed. 

[NiftyNiblick]

If we've played an old course a number of times, then that course has memories.

There's no avoiding that.

 

To those of us who love our game, the closing of such a course is always a little tough to swallow.

 

A cineplex now sits on the entrance site of the Thunderbird, a par 3 track in Tyngsboro, Massachusetts, just outside of Lowell,    

 

We had some outrageous games there when we were kids.  It was part of growing up in the game.

 

They really could have kept it there.  I like movies as much as the next guy, but there's no absolute need for that cineplex.