The economy appears to be cranking up, hopefully this will translate into some new courses and more restoration projects.
Why do we need new golf courses?
Serious question.
Duncan:
If you look at the golf industry as a worldwide whole, we don't need new courses. But that's exactly the same sort of thinking that got us into this mess, when somebody at the National Golf Foundation looked at the numbers years ago and decided we needed to open a new course EVERY DAY.
In fact, the demand for golf courses is a very regional thing, and the numbers need to match the local market. There are still many places where a golf course would quickly fill up a membership roster, if you could get over the development restrictions and cost of real estate to build one affordably. Other places are well over the number they need.
Fortunately, though, the matter of developing golf courses is down to the decisions of individual developers. Some guys just want to create something cool. Who are you to tell them no?
On the whole I'd agree, Tom.
The 'need' or otherwise for any particular proposed new golf course should be established by analysis of supply and demand, and then balanced against the environmental concerns of society at large.
The other side of this market-led approach of course, is that many existing courses will find themselves on the wrong side of the supply: demand ratio, be unviable, and will close. If we are to welcome viable new developments we must also welcome (or at least shed no tears over) the closure of courses for which no on-going business case can be made.
Bill's post to which I responded however, suggested that a return to the building of new courses would be a good thing
per se. Overall, I can see no demand for golf courses which isn't catered for by existing supply.
Of course, particular types of destination development along the lines of Bandon, Streamsong, and Cabot appear currently to be very popular and successful. Demand for such facilities would appear to exceed demand in the US and so I would envisage more to be built. How long though, before a bubble develops and every multi-millionaire golf-nut in America is planning his own ego-led 3-course resort on less than exciting terrain? We all know what happens to bubbles.
Naturally I speak very much from a UK&I perspective. These islands are over-run with golf courses, from the mediocre to the best in the world. Every proposed new golf course is met with strident opposition on environmental grounds which is frankly difficult to argue against rationally. Even more difficult to make to the public at large is the case that there is any need for more golf courses. There quite clearly isn't.
The quality of golf provision in the UK would improve IMO if maybe 10% of golf courses closed. The total golf spend would then be spread less thinly allowing for much-needed investment on some of our impoverished Golden Age courses.