Welcome

While club management counters losses players count their blessings

By Laurence Bass

Golf is typically a calm game. It needs no smiling cheerleaders, extravagant halftime shows—not even a seventh inning stretch to keep its patrons intrigued. Those who follow the game enjoy the silence.  Yet, that once pristine silence has become deafening as of late. According to the 2008 National Golf Foundation report concerning golf course closures, the number of courses closing their doors is nearly equal to those that opened within the same year. “The total number of openings is 678.5 versus 491.5 closures for a net positive of 187 courses, or a modest 37.4 per year combined since 2002.”  As clear as these statistics may appear they fail to uncover the reasons why multi-million dollar courses are being forced to fight off extinction. Another subplot lost in the numbers is the potential benefits that exist for the smart consumer looking to land a membership at a distinguished country club at a low cost. Regardless of how you view this staggering trend, now might be the perfect time for new and experienced golfers alike to gain access to the best courses at an affordable rate.

“I think that the economy is affecting golfing communities everywhere,” says Dave Pleasant pro shop manager at the Palisades Country Club in Clermont, FL. “Many of the country clubs and courses have closed here in Central Florida.” The golfing community in Central Florida experienced a mass-development of extravagant courses in recent years. Palisades Country Club maintained its membership and growing patronage by not raising its prices. Its “semi-private” demeanor is best reflected by the low membership price, but aesthetically speaking every sense is fully engaged. The picturesque views of Spring Lake and Lake Mineola exemplify the disproportionate amount of bang players get for a few bucks. The cost of one day packages ranges from $18.00-$28.00 per player—a much needed relief from the hefty fees of other mega courses in the central Florida area.

Augustine Golf Club in Stafford, VA has gone to great lengths to avoid becoming just another casualty amongst the vast number of country clubs with “for sale” signs hanging from their front gates. “Our prices stayed pretty much the same from last year,” Manager Brian Kirst said. “But we had to make some major cutbacks in our budget to sustain our rates.” Augustine is one of the premier golf clubs in Virginia. The bulk of its membership extends from the state capital of Richmond up into the D.C. area where many Washingtonians make the 30-mile drive south to take advantage of the savings. The course is a majestic piece of landscaping and design. The long list of offered activities from lessons and tutorials to banquets and weddings make this course worth its fee to join. Single day fees range from $57.50-$74.50 during the peak spring to fall months. Those fees decrease in the fall to spring months. For those card-carrying members of Augustine Golf Club the prices start at $2,995.00-$4,465.00. This may have been considered a steep price in the past, but due to the potential savings during the off-peak for membership during the fall and winter months, Augustine is still a winners market.

Long Island has a rich tradition of golf history starting with the Shinnecock Hills Golf Club in Suffolk County, New York. This national treasure hosted four U.S. Open Tournaments beginning with the event’s second competition in 1896 and most recently in 2005. Colonial Springs Golf Club shares the same county as the aforementioned historical golf course, but is still in its infancy. In 2006, the Colonial Springs Golf Club went private after a $4.5 million renovation in 2004. This renovation has proven itself to be extremely beneficial for this relatively new golf club. “We’re doing very well compared to most of the other clubs [on Long Island],” Membership Director Karen McArdle says with regard to the current state of Colonial Springs Golf Club. “Our membership is what’s keeping us in good shape.” The club features a 27-hole golf course for members of all skill levels and offers very flexible payment options and various packages. For example, there is a one-time fee for weekday membership and the full membership fee of $9,500 can be paid in installments. The club has also eliminated the beloved “nuisance charges” which includes the locker room, bag storage, and restaurant fees. Playing the course with the beautiful forests of Long Island as the backdrop and enjoying the benefits of being a member of the Colonial Springs Golf Club is worth every pinched penny.

Each year there are new golf courses being built to replace the ones forced to shut down and so far 2008 looks to be no different. The trend is likely to continue, as the game of golf must contend with the unstable economic atmosphere and the resulting decline in consumer confidence. New course developments and pricey renovations to iconic fairways are instituted by some clubs with the intent of welcoming the business of neophytes and maintaining the loyalty of veteran players. Perhaps it will be the creative marketing strategies and low cost membership packages that ultimately will raise the long term memberships of the country clubs and provide them with the support they need to ensure the game remains in the backyard of every city across the country.