Is now the perfect time for a public course to

[Mike Cirba]

Mike,
I read those numbers in one of the Philly papers, back at the time of the Cobb's thread you(?( started.

Jim,

At it's peak in the late 20s, early 30s, the total numbers at Cobb's across both courses were over 100,000 annually.

These days it's less than half that, and much of the play is at discounted rates.

Hope that helps to clarify.  

[Patrick_Mucci]

All of these posts from Pat are pretty much singing the same tune....membership at private clubs is dwindling, and debt is rising.

That's COMPLETELY UNTRUE.

Please read my posts more carefully.

"Debt" is NOT rising.

Membership is contracting.

Here is my take...people are not joining clubs for a number of reasons...

the prestige of being a club member is not what it once was....

Disagree

today people look for other ways to show their status....

Could you tell us HOW they do that ?

people are finding many more ways to spend their money....

Completely disagree.
People are finding ways on how to SAVE money, not spend it.

people are finding many more ways to spend their time...

What ways are they finding ?.

and people leave for many of the same reasons..lack of money...

That is THE PRIMARY reason, all the rest is nonsense, except for the cultural changes in family responsibilities brought on by dual income earners with H&W.

lack of time...lack of interest....

Once of golf's assets is time.
Most people, including myself, enjoy spending 3-4 hours with friends and fellow golfers.
Why would I want to givef that up.
Most golfers can't spend enough time with their friends and fellow golfers.

death or old age.

I'm not sure, but, I've heard that death and old age were around from the early part of the 20th century to current date and those two factors were always offset by the introduction of new, younger members.

If the idea of membership in a club being something special is not dying, then it is certainly on the downward end of a cycle.
Being a member of a club continues to be something special, for a good number of reasons.

But, belonging to a club is a luxury.  When the economy gets bad, people re-evaluate their discretionary spending, and golf clubs, not an inconsequential budget item, are high on the chopping block.

This has been exacerbated by a spending spree at clubs from a generation that has never known financial adversity.
While time takes its toll on a facilty and it needs to be repaired, refurbished and modernized, spending took a quantum leap when clubs took that responsibility to the extreme.

It's all about MONEY at clubs, not the items you list.