Corey,
Taxation, as you know, has nothing to do with fairness. It is all about ability to pay AND lack of recourse. Golf clubs are an easy target because though many are not set up to generate a profit, the public perceives their members as oxen to be rightfully gored. The Deepdales of the country can offer defenses to higher taxation and Kelo attacks, but most private clubs in blue states probably can't.
In Texas, property taxes are the major source of revenue to finance education and there is tremendous pressure on appraisal districts to generate the valuation totals each year that will generate the revenues state and local governments crave without changing the tax rate appreciably. Fortunately, state law prevents tax increases exceeding 10% per year, though that is little consolation for retirees and others living on fixed incomes who are being hit with 10% increases year after year. Sadly, the hunger for tax revenues is never satisfied, so, those with pockets sufficiently deep that can be picked will have much more to worry about than their country club being sold for redevelopment.
As long as the public demands more free stuff and rewards those politicians who "bring home the bacon", golf has no way to go but down. Unfortunately, it is a real estate, labor, energy and water intensive sport, and the secular confluence of diminishing discretionary income and higher costs pretty much seals its fate (as essentially a niche sport).
I do hear that bicycling and gca.com are adequate substitutes.