Longevity of Private Courses

[DavidSauls]

Work less, play more. Get the reward out of playing your own course.

I have the advantage of being a co-owner, so splitting the workload. But we can go weeks without anyone coming out. And have other things in our life. So in summer, we only keep the course groomed enough that we can stand playing there---grass gets knee-high in places, or we mow narrow trails through the fairways so we can walk comfortably, and wade into the taller grass only to play our shots. When people do come out, we apologize in advance. Then in the fall we groom it, and enjoy it looking good through mid-spring (no snow here).

Because you're right, private courses aren't the wave of the future, at least the near future. Except in a few particular circumstances. Everywhere else, it just the low-volume, high-quality side of the sport.

 

[donnyv]

My wife has Lymes Disease so I def hate ticks. Low grass means little to no ticks so I will keep mowing

 

[DavidSauls]

That's valid.

It's easy for us to shirk because we have no choice---too much grass, too much other life. And zero chance that we'd draw enough players to hire someone for maintenance.

We did have a first-ever experience this weekend, though. A friend organized a small gathering for a fund-raiser for another friend, or actually, the other friend's dog who needs surgery. Anyway, the organizer showed up, got on the tractor and mowed several hours worth---and at our place, a lot of the mowing is somewhere between exciting and annoying, with the steep hills. Nobody's ever volunteered to do tractor work before. It allowed us, with about 10 hours of our own work, to get things presentable, if not exactly groomed, here in the high-growth season.

 

[wolfmandragon]

I never really get a chance to play my own course so I set up a league day just so I get to once a week. Hardly anyone shows up even though I post it up on fb to 1200 local players. Why go on?

Facebook has changed the way it does it algorithms. You may think that 1200 people are seeing it, but likely, very few people are. It is designed to be pay for views now.

You would be better off collecting emails of players and using an auto-mailer(with permission of said players, I am not suggesting spam) to send out event invites.

Perhaps you could set up a blog. They work wonders for non-paid advertisement, as long as there is some good content. This could get you some out of area players coming in.

If any of the private course owners want more information, I will be happy to answer some questions and point to some good information for gratis. Just shoot me a PM.

I want to see more private courses out there.

My bona fides: I am a professional software developer/ data architect. I have built systems able to handle ten million data records entries per day for electrical and water utilities.

 

[wolfmandragon]

Rumor has it that, when the owner passed away, Harmon Hills was blessed with some extraordinary support from some local disc golfers. They should be applauded.

Could be. That was before I started playing. It's not local to me, about an hour away, so I only get there a couple times a year, but its wonderful place to play in the spring and fall.
I always try to put a little extra in the donation box, as I am sure that not everyone ponies up their share.

 

[Mando]

Private courses can close down for any number of reasons:

• Cost of maintaining/running a course exceeds course income.

I hate to think it's simply a matter of "better play 'em while you got the chance" ... but have a feeling that's the case for the most part. :\

As a private course owner who closed his course for three years, it really boils down to opportunity costs...maintaining a private course is time consuming and usually not the best use of one's time. Losing money is a given, so, it becomes a luxury item that you can't always afford.

 

[DavidSauls]

The variety of things that can close down a private course stem, in part, for the variety of reasons and conditions under which private courses are built, to begin with.

But mostly, because their existence is usually dependent on one person.

 

[Mando]

Work less, play more. Get the reward out of playing your own course.

Or, until the knees give out.

 

[DavidSauls]

Or, until the knees give out.

Funny you should mention that.

I'm in the unusual circumstance of being a private course co-owner, so have someone to split the effort with. In 2012, less than a month before our fall tournament---when we let the maintenance go so we only have to do it once---I tore up my knee, badly enough that I couldn't even drive the tractor.

What happens if a solo course owner does the same?

 

[Mando]

I can still do the maintenance, it just takes a lot longer. I'm talking about losing the benefit of playing your own course.

 

[Mando]

The owner of Harmon Hills( the best course I have played on) died and someone bought the farm and has not only kept the course open, but has been making improvements on it.
I highly recommend this course to anyone whom is passing through East Tennessee.

Yep...but for every Harmon Hills, there is a Fossil Hill.

 

[DavidSauls]

I can still do the maintenance, it just takes a lot longer. I'm talking about losing the benefit of playing your own course.

Gotcha. Good point.

Every few years I encounter an injury or health scare that leaves me wondering if I'll ever play again. And pondering whether, if I can't, I'll have the motivation or ability to keep the course going. So far I've recovered from the true alarms and the false alarms were, fortunately, false.

 

[Mando]

Yep...but for every Harmon Hills, there is a Fossil Hill.

Actually that's not true...for every hh,there are hundreds of fossil hills; private courses that were not sustainable.