[paul cowley]

Love Golf Design should open two new courses in 2009....the 'Diamante Dunes' course, in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico....and another course, 'Ricefields', near Savannah, Georgia.

Wadkins Design Group should open a new course in 2009 in Lajitas, Texas.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Paul,

Is Victory Lane scheduled to open in 2010?

[paul cowley]

Scott....as of yet Victory Lane doesn't have a schedule to start that I know of.....but these are strange times.

[Scott Weersing]

There are several courses that will be opening in 2009 including BallyHack by L. George.

I am not sure which ones will be moving dirt in 2009.

Ones that I can think of that will be moving dirt in 2009:

The last 8 holes at Old Macdonald
The Cliffs by Tiger Woods
Union Bay in BC by Hanse


Here is a thread of courses coming: http://golfclubatlas.com/forum/index.php/topic,31721.0.html

Which one lived up to the hype?

[Jeff_Brauer]

Yes, given the lag time, I think the biggest question will be how many courses open in the US in 2010.  And whether there will be enough to have a good best new contest......

I know of two because I interviewed for them.  Tom Lehman got the city of West Fargo project.  Luckily, I got the other one near Topkea, KS.

[paul cowley]

In 2010, Love Golf Design should open two courses.

The new 'Newark CC' in Maryland.....and Cherokee Hills in Murphy, NC.

In my spare time I will be focusing less on a renewable energy company I was contemplating starting, to instead concentrate on hunting, fishing, bio dynamic subsistence farming and raising chickens......projects that are already in the works.

These will be interesting times ahead.

[Scott_Burroughs]

Scott....as of yet Victory Lane doesn't have a schedule to start that I know of.....but these are strange times.

Too bad.  I had posted earlier this year that Gil Hanse's web site had written (it's still there) that it was scheduled to start in Feb '08....which seemed like enough time to open even in '09, given the sandy soil and long growing season.

[Matt_Ward]

Mike:

I'd say the total will be even lower for 2010 as projects that were near completion finalize and open for '09. I'd say the total number from the different people I've talked to will be in the 40-50 neighborhood.

Like I said -- those were courses already in the pipeline and likely 75% or more ready to go for the '09 season and were pushed through to completion. The real issue will be what happens when the existing pipeline runs dry. I expect 2010 to be even lower for that reason.

One final item -- Digest abandoned the best affordable category because of issues tied to pricing -- frankly I think they made a major mistake in doing that.

[Mike Nuzzo]

By popular demand I've added the 2010 wild guesses category.
Thanks for your 2009 guess - did I hear one for 2010? 

Cheers Pardner!

[paul cowley]

Mike....you heard two already from me......Merry Xmas y'all.

[Gary_Mahanay]

Paul,

Is the Wadkins designed course at Lajitas a redo of the Bechtol-Russel course, "The Ambush at Lajitas"  or a whole new project?

Gary

[J_ Crisham]

My guess would be 35 for 2009
                               20 for 2010
     Anything not started yet may wallow as the financial side is dragged along. Banks just aren't lending and how many projects are self financed?My greater concern is how many established private clubs in hard hit areas like NY,NJ,MI, IL,CA,MA,CT will close. Sad to see100 yr old tracks closed. Ravisloe in Chicago is the first to fall in our area.           Jack

[Mike Nuzzo]

An update.
The numbers for 2008:




Last chance for estimating projects in 2009 & 2010.
Cheers

[Jonathan Cummings]

Paul - where is Neward CC i n MD?  I've never heard of it!

Nuzzy - 35 openings with 100 closures sounds about right.

jaycee

[Doug Ralston]

Sweetgrass, at the Potowatame Reservation in Michigan UP, opened in July 2008. The people at the Casino [Island Resort] told me that the course was part of their package and he thinks it lives with the Casino. We were there on a weekday in September; not exactly prime time, and the casino was quite busy. Is gambling a recession-resistant business?

Course worth seeing, BTW, with great packages including Greywalls.

While there will be shrinkage in the next couple years, I wager some munis will actually do well, as the budget-minded low end golfer foregoes those nice mid-priced CCFADs he enjoys for practical reasons, but still strongly wants to golf. Look for courses in the $50 to $150 range to be leaving us though.

Doug

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