ASGCA President Sees More Municipal, Public
Fee Courses as Golf Boom Continues in '90s

Although the majority of new golf courses built in the past five years have been integrated into real estate developments and resorts, the '90s will see a greater mix of new municipal and public fee courses, according to Robert Trent Jones, Jr., president of the American Society of Golf Course Architects.

"The American public is generating a tremendous demand for new golf courses. In many sections of the country the industry is meeting the demand for residential and resort courses," Jones noted, "but we must in the next decade develop more innovative ways to finance the very strong demand for municipal and public fee courses."

Some municipalities, such as Brooklyn Park, Minnesota have already combined efforts with local builders, who have developed housing around new municipal courses, and that trend is expected to continue in the '90s.

Other public bodies are considering sites undesirable for commercial or real estate development — land near airports, retired military posts, landfills, abandoned quarries and mine sites, and rugged sites with ravines that could be converted into attractive golf courses.

More Quality Courses

The ASGCA president believes that the new municipal and public fee courses of the '90s will reflect the higher quality design and construction seen in today's real estate development golf courses.

"Golfers see so many great courses on television and play many more while on vacation or attending business meetings," Jones points out, "and they want to play comparable courses near their homes. And, they are willing to pay a premium for quality golf."

The recent success of new, quality public fee courses across the country underscores this fact, Jones states, and he believes that many current public course owners and municipalities will be building additional facilities in the next decade.

Golf Is Profitable

Jones points to the profitability of new, quality golf courses throughout the country, including areas such as the Northeast and Midwest that once were considered "mature" markets.

"Upscale public golf definitely is on the rise and municipalities and entrepreneurs will be working to fill the demand gap in the next 10 years," Jones predicts and adds, "we'll be seeing better-designed courses that will feature aesthetics, playability and easy maintenance which will generate revenue for their cities' parks departments.

"With sound management, these new facilities will become solid profit centers for municipalities and private owners. Public golf is one of the great opportunities today in the entire recreational spectrum." •

Page 20 / Illinois Municipal Review / January 1990