Is there a golf course in the state of Iowa that makes money? I don’t know how they keep going without the older members giving a donation to the country club. It seems like every country club manager has their hand in the till. Younger people don’t seem to be golfing. I just think there will be some golf courses closing in the state.
Golf courses
- Thread starter HawkeyeHitman
- Start date
the courses in Mn have been killing it since covid. Courses in the twin cities are almost always full Thurs-Sun, and even a lot of the small town courses 20-30 min away getting city folk out there.
How have Iowa courses not taken advantage of the nice springs and late falls? We played until Dec 9 in ‘20, Nov 23 in ‘21, mid Nov ‘22.
How have Iowa courses not taken advantage of the nice springs and late falls? We played until Dec 9 in ‘20, Nov 23 in ‘21, mid Nov ‘22.
How fortunate am I that I can basically play any time of day with no tee time required? That I can skip around the course at my whim? That I can get drunk and stoned to my hearts desire while golfing?
I salute you, my home course, if there is more than 8 cars in the parking lot, it’s a crowd.
When I play in the big cities, I wonder what the hell is taking so long? Why the hell would I call ahead to get a tee time, what is that about? Why can’t I drive the cart more than 10 yards beyond the path? Why is there an employee, called a ranger, sneaking up on me while I am screwing around? Why was I pared with tweedle dee and his 86 year old dad?
I salute you, my home course, if there is more than 8 cars in the parking lot, it’s a crowd.
When I play in the big cities, I wonder what the hell is taking so long? Why the hell would I call ahead to get a tee time, what is that about? Why can’t I drive the cart more than 10 yards beyond the path? Why is there an employee, called a ranger, sneaking up on me while I am screwing around? Why was I pared with tweedle dee and his 86 year old dad?
I'm a member of a smaller town course and I think it is doing well with no debt. I'm usually the first one on the course so I have it to myself and can get 9 holes in about 30 minutes.
I'm a member of a small town course and also play Honey Creek a lot. The course I'm a member at you don't need a tee time for but unless you are real early it can be crowded.
Honey Creek is usually busy and does require a tee time. At least it's a good idea to have one..
Honey Creek is usually busy and does require a tee time. At least it's a good idea to have one..
The Biden inflation is killing Americans disposable income that is used for things like golf. Some people have to make a choice between food or golf.
If you have to make a choice between food and golf you could never afford golf anyway.
True but there are many people that only play 5-10 times a year because that’s all they can afford. Inflation is eliminating those people from playing all together. It all adds up for the bottom line of a course.
Didn’t you “leave for good” weeks ago because we’re “a bunch of losers?”
All your other screennames getting banned?
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My course makes money. Good food decent golf and a pool. Plus space to rent out for events and member equity.
A former president of my club told me a private club's goal should be to break even while always building a reserve for "shit happens" emergencies. Dining should be better quality and/or value than any nearby restaurant. The course and clubhouse quality should be equal to of the $$ members are spending based on what they want ( High $$ club nicer than a low $$ club). The club exists for the members benefit, not to make a profit. After thinking it thru I thought he should be permanent president for the rest of his life.
A public course all that changes....
Food is overrated. I choose golf.
Man hits two holes-in-one less than a week apart on High Point Country Club golf course
An 84-year-old man knocked down a hole-in-one at the High Point Country Club in Naples but did it again just three days later. The odds of an average golfer hitting a single hole-in-one are 12,500 to one, but this man beat those odds twice. Whenever 84-year-old Herb Pike swings his club, the...
winknews.com
Off subject, but I sure would like to get one of these.
Playa will have his choice of the course geriatrics to bang. Friggen studMan hits two holes-in-one less than a week apart on High Point Country Club golf course
An 84-year-old man knocked down a hole-in-one at the High Point Country Club in Naples but did it again just three days later. The odds of an average golfer hitting a single hole-in-one are 12,500 to one, but this man beat those odds twice. Whenever 84-year-old Herb Pike swings his club, the...
Off subject, but I sure would like to get one of these.
Saddleback is a wonderful golf course. Airport National - not so much.
This year I plan to do more early golf. I’ve always loved it. But I also sweat like a mofo, so for me, requires post round shower. However I have been running 2-4 miles/day on the treadmill since Jan; one motivating factor that has helped me stay on point with it is that I want to be able to golf 9 holes without breaking a sweat.
St Andrews in Cedar Rapids has been a mystery to me for a long time. It's a C- course sitting on extremely valuable land that could be used for commercial, or residential buildings.
The Rock Island Arsenal Golf Course closed in 2018.
This private golf club had been a popular in the 1950s
through the 1980's. Local lawyers, doctors, bankers &
business men paid their membership entrance fees as
well as their annual dues. There was a swimming pool,
tennis courts, club house, restaurant, and golf pro on
duty.
Gradually the membership dwindled as those who died
were not replaced with new members. In the last decades
due to budget cuts and lack of use the course was closed.
At one time this was a premier golf course in the Quad Cities.
This private golf club had been a popular in the 1950s
through the 1980's. Local lawyers, doctors, bankers &
business men paid their membership entrance fees as
well as their annual dues. There was a swimming pool,
tennis courts, club house, restaurant, and golf pro on
duty.
Gradually the membership dwindled as those who died
were not replaced with new members. In the last decades
due to budget cuts and lack of use the course was closed.
At one time this was a premier golf course in the Quad Cities.
I would imagine this phenomenon is highly regionalized.
Here in NoVA, during the end of Tiger's reign, there was massive overbuilding of golf courses out in Fairfax/Loudoun counties, and they did OK. But when Tiger started to swirl the drain, a LOT of them went belly up, including some really nice public courses (e.g., Virginia Oaks, which may well have been one of my favorite layouts ever across the lake from the RTJ Club where they've held the President's Cup).
On the other hand, Covid really threw many clubs a life line, as golf is an outdoor activity with natural social distancing, and people had some time on their hands. Since 2020 (just after we finished a major renovation), my club has been hitting all-time highs in terms of numbers of rounds played. And we have a 6-year waiting list.
Here in NoVA, during the end of Tiger's reign, there was massive overbuilding of golf courses out in Fairfax/Loudoun counties, and they did OK. But when Tiger started to swirl the drain, a LOT of them went belly up, including some really nice public courses (e.g., Virginia Oaks, which may well have been one of my favorite layouts ever across the lake from the RTJ Club where they've held the President's Cup).
On the other hand, Covid really threw many clubs a life line, as golf is an outdoor activity with natural social distancing, and people had some time on their hands. Since 2020 (just after we finished a major renovation), my club has been hitting all-time highs in terms of numbers of rounds played. And we have a 6-year waiting list.
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For public courses, league and weekend events are the deal breaker. This is our 3rd season at a club, I now pay extra for a better course in can use basically any time and never have to play around anyone, but I still play our party league night at the city course that started as our buddy team when we were in our 20s. That night, and most others, still guarantees about 80 players between the front and back leagues. I honestly could take it or leave it, now that we're in our 40s and more responsible adults we're slowly losing our reign as the booze pounding party team, but another team would easily take our spot. 80 guys paying green fees and carts plus drinks is a lot of guaranteed revenue. Throw in some 100 plus bar outings every weekend and trust me, the place isn't losing money. It in fact subsidizes many other other city park and rec programs.
I am a former Superintendent of a local 9 hole course and now the current president of the board. Since Covid, we have been doing great, before that it was year by year. We did A LOT to get people out of their houses and try golf during Covid and it paid off huge for us, our memberships are way up. We also do a lot of social events, bands, trivia nights, etc... to raise revenue. We aren't making huge amounts of money now, but we have been able to make some nice upgrades to the course/clubhouse as well and put some money away and keep dues constant over that time span. In our experience, you need more than golf to be profitable, you have to find other sources of revenue.
Private courses are always nicer/better but it would be boring to play the same course over & over. Plus people who join groups/clubs strike me as odd & needy, it's like joining a cult.
DSM metro has a bunch of public options, which is nice. No doubt some cons of public golf are length of rounds, squished tee times, & the drunks who are annoying & slow.
Rounds no longer take five hours like they did ~ten years ago, so I guess popularity is down. It goes in cycles.
DSM metro has a bunch of public options, which is nice. No doubt some cons of public golf are length of rounds, squished tee times, & the drunks who are annoying & slow.
Rounds no longer take five hours like they did ~ten years ago, so I guess popularity is down. It goes in cycles.
Similar situation. My backyard goes out into a little 9 hole where I live. Family membership for $400. It’s got a little bit of a redneck vibe to it but good enough for my crappy golf game.
It’s really sad how many great golf courses have shut down because they were overbuilt during the golf bubble. Some truly great layouts wasted.
My in-laws used to live at this "country club" if you can call it that. I have played that course probably 50 times and came the closest I ever have to a hole in one there. It is a par 3 course and if I remember correctly the 7th hole (where he got his hole in ones) is the shortest hole on the course at under 100 yards. Par 3s can be challenging but not here. No elevation, very little trouble, flat greens, etc.
A nice diversion when visiting the in-laws but not a quality half hour 9 hole game.
A nice diversion when visiting the in-laws but not a quality half hour 9 hole game.
Clubs have been growing since 2020. Lots more play overall and particularly with women and kids.
They aren't joining a country club as a golf member then. The clubs I am aware of have had significant increases in membership over the past 3 years.
That's a weak take. I don't know about that. Lying Donnie seems to have oodles of time and $$ for his daily rounds of golf. Just like when he occupied the OO. And there is nobody in 'Merica making a choice between food and golf. Unless the choice is between steak or seafood.
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The next time the OP is correct about something will be the first time he's correct about anything.
You talking about walking 9 holes? I should have said I have my own cart so that makes things go quicker. I go right at sunrise, so it's usually really cool out. Very rarely do I break a sweat.
Even when I take a cart for 9 holes. I end up with some perspiration from swinging the club around; but I also wasn’t golfing early like you; mainly a quick nine holes over noon or sneak out office at 2:30 round and come back to the office to finish the workday. .. I love doing it but hate that I would have to take a shower to go back to work. I was also very out of shape last year.
