Bradley,
Here is a link to a golf course I was involved with in its construction and grow-in 5-6 years ago. Im pretty proud to have been a part of it but in my circle of friends in the industry it gets scoffed at because its not Top 100 or with a million dollar budget and a hot shot designer. I think it is pretty much what you described and it is the pure essence of what sustainable golf is. And probably as close to the modest golf business model seen the the UK.
http://www.freestonegolf.com/index.htmlFor construction we employed farm boys from the local high school vo-tech programs. They were cheap, eager, needed the experience, knew how to wrench and already knew how to run a tractor. And we even taught them how to do the rough shaping with an old D8. With a small construction crew of locals we did everything. Tree cutting, grubbing, shaping, drainage, irrigation, seeding, growing and maintaining. We didnt have a hot shot designer, we didnt have a hot shot construction company, we didnt have a hot shot super and we certainly didnt have alot of money....we didnt need it. And I think it turned out with whole lot more heart and character because of it. 3-500K just to get the routing and design?!?! Hell the place routed itself!!!!!! That would have been a complete waste and that much money was spent on much wiser investments.
Overhead was kept low since the beginning of the project and it has always been maintained low. 18 holes with a nice range and a trailor clubhouse. Its on a beautiful piece of property near my hometown in State College and it gets its most business during the fall football season in Happy Valley. Its pure golf....and its good clean fun golf. No glitz, no glamour. Super affordably priced.
And its not suffering from the recent economy.....
because it has a sustainable business model.
Its funny that this thread is going on during Masters week. Because all I can think of is the batch of turf guys that are working at Augusta for the tourney. All I can think of is that these young kids coming up have know idea at all about sustainable golf. They dont engage in conversations like this thread (which is excellent by the way Mike Young). The dont hear it in school and they certainly arent hearing at places like Augusta or their other Top 100 internships. Its a shame really. And it gets really old and exhausting to hear about nothing but Top 100, million dollar budget blah blah blah. Ive been there and done that for years and have no desire to ever be up in that bracket again.
Sustainability is a serious thing, it in itself might be getting old but it is what the future of golf and its direction need to move towards. And the industry as a whole needs to start making a point to quick talking the talk and walking the walk with it. And I think it needs to start with the youth just as everything in life. The future of golf needs to start hearing it from the older guys in schools and in internships. Otherwise there will never TRULY be a paradigm shift in the mentality that has gotten us into this mess.
On a side note....
One of the cooler things we did during construction at Freestone. After completing the driving range shaping and piping, we seeded it with dwarf clover. It was green, didnt need water, didnt need fertilizer and didnt need mowing. I didnt like the idea at the time but now I think its ingenious.
If anyone is ever in Happy Valley for a PSU game in the fall, please stop by Freestone for a round and support local and sustainable golf. You wont be disappointed.