Where are the six hole golf courses?

[Ben Malach]

I really think the market for alternative amounts of holes is at already existing golf prosperities as a secondary or as a relief course.


As that is one of the few situations I can see the economics work. As it might encourage a golfer to spend the day and eat 2 meals at the clubhouse. Not to mention the opportunity to have a larger diversity of logos in your shop.


But, beyond that I think it’s a tough sell as a standalone idea. I can think of 1 course close to you Jordan. Crumlin Creek in London, Ontario. It’s a novelty at best and it’s not the short course that I recommend to people visiting that being the rollicking Thames Valley courses. But, you should check out both when you get the time.

[Dan Gallaway]

Early on, Streamsong marketed the 6-hole loops on the Blue and Red Courses.  Do they still have that option for afternoon/evening play?

[Adam Lawrence]

I really think the market for alternative amounts of holes is at already existing golf prosperities as a secondary or as a relief course.

As that is one of the few situations I can see the economics work. As it might encourage a golfer to spend the day and eat 2 meals at the clubhouse. Not to mention the opportunity to have a larger diversity of logos in your shop.

But, beyond that I think it’s a tough sell as a standalone idea. I can think of 1 course close to you Jordan. Crumlin Creek in London, Ontario. It’s a novelty at best and it’s not the short course that I recommend to people visiting that being the rollicking Thames Valley courses. But, you should check out both when you get the time.

Yes. It's no coincidence that it is the high-profile, high-end resorts that have led the way in developing quality par three and other shorter courses in recent years. In the past, they wouldn't have done so, because a lot of their customers would play two full rounds a day, but the slowing of play (and the less active lifestyles most people lead nowadays) means that a 36-hole day is a tougher sell. So a short course that can be played after your main round (sometimes even after dinner in summer) is a winner in terms of encouraging more play.

The media is really keen on alternative provision, because it's a great story and they can spin it as a grow-the-game initiative. How a short course at an elite resort (or indeed an elite private club) is supposed to encourage new people to take up the game, I can't see.

Short courses at proper public facilities in easily accessible locations absolutely would help grow the game. Some years ago, Frank Pont had the idea that nine hole courses, possibly reversible, possibly on brownfield sites, in urban locations, would be a good business opportunity and would help grow the game. He built one such course, Links Valley in the Netherlands, though it isn't exactly a super-urban site -- it's about forty miles from Amsterdam ([size=78%]https://www.thelinksvalley.nl)[/size]. But I don't think the idea has taken off in quite the way he hoped it would, and clearly it's because the economics of such courses aren't enough of a slam-dunk for a bunch of people to stick money into them.

[Ben Sims]

There was one from Andy where he talks about being a late 30s early 40s dad/spouse and it being considered insane that he’d spend 5-6 hours on a Saturday playing golf. Hard to disagree.

Have you seen the demand for club memberships since Covid hit? Which would contradict that statement.

Wayne,


Yes I see your point. What Andy was saying is that he can much more easily play a full round on a random Tuesday than a Saturday. I don’t think demand for clubs is necessarily a demand for prime time weekend play. Andy’s point, and one I agree with, is that it’s significantly easier for many golfers to play while on golf trips and not when engaged in the normal day-to-day parent/spouse expectations.


All I have to do to know he’s right is go to Men’s Club on Saturday mornings at my local club. It’s dominated by the 50-70 set. The 30-50 set is off doing other things and playing their golf on weekdays or on trips.


6-hole courses don’t solve any problems and create a whole new set of them.

[Jordan Jackson]

Some years ago, Frank Pont had the idea that nine hole courses, possibly reversible, possibly on brownfield sites, in urban locations, would be a good business opportunity and would help grow the game. He built one such course, Links Valley in the Netherlands, though it isn't exactly a super-urban site -- it's about forty miles from Amsterdam ([size=78%]https://www.thelinksvalley.nl)[/size]. But I don't think the idea has taken off in quite the way he hoped it would, and clearly it's because the economics of such courses aren't enough of a slam-dunk for a bunch of people to stick money into them.

I am moving to the Netherlands for a year, and Links Valley is high on my list of places to see. I will report back if anything has changed! However, it should be noted that this is not an urban site at all (75km from Amsterdam, 50km from Utrecht, over 2.5 hours transit from either), which I believe any of these concepts really hinge on.

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