Successful Municipal courses

[Mike Sweeney]

Brian-Although outside of your target area Shennecossett Golf Club in Groton Connecticut would more than fit the bill of a very successful municipal operation.

I think you could make a pretty interesting study looking at the coastal towns along the Connecticut shore.

The Griff in Greenwich
Sterling Farms (theater and restaurant)  and "Hubbard Heights (restaurant) in Stamford 
Longshore in Westpost has a pool, marina, inn and Orrin Smith course on the water as the town took over a country club years ago. It is next to Compo Beach which has its own beach and marina.
Fairfield has a couple of courses I but have never played.

[Carl Johnson]

I am turning to you, wise sages of GCA, for examples of successful municipal courses that I can use as potential case studies for my senior thesis project this upcoming school year.  I'm not particularly interested in highly ranked, multi-course facilities like Bethpage or Torrey Pines.  I'm looking for examples of 9 or 18 hole, town, county, or small city-owned facilities that you consider to have some architectural merit and have had a positive impact on the community.  Bonus points for facilities that include more than golf (park space, walking/hiking trails, athletic fields, etc) and/or courses in the Mid-Atlantic/Southeastern U.S. (I am definitely interested in ALL examples, those will just be easier for me to see in person).  TIA!

As at least one other has pointed out, you beg the question of what is a "successful" municipal course.  Obviously, your thesis will have to deal with this question, in all of its ramifications, at the outset.

That having been said, you might look into the Renaissance Park Golf Course in Charlotte.  Part of the course is on a old landfill (bringing another element into the picture).  It was built in the late 1980s I think.  It is municipally owned, but operated by by a local private contractor who also, under contract, manages some of the other municipal golf courses in Charlotte.  How successful is the course?  Well, it has been operating for 25 years or so.  Renaissance Park also includes, across the road (also at least in part on landfill, as I recall) from the golf course, a tennis center (many courts and a "stadium court"), a frisbee golf course, softball fields and, so they say, soccer fields (and maybe more).  How much use do these other facilities get, and how successful are they, and what is the synergy, if any, between the golf and the other facilities, I do not know.

In sum, the Renaissance Park course is in the southeast, and park-wise is combined with other athletic facilities, so this seems to fit within the scope of your inquiry.  Here is the website: http://www.charmeck.org/mecklenburg/county/parkandrec/parks/parksbyregion/southregion/pages/renaissancepk.aspx

Please contact me by personal message if you wish to discuss this further.  I'll be glad to help you out on the Charlotte end to the extent I can.  I'm a retired man, so I've got the time.

Carl

[Mike_Young]

Brian,
I have one in Alexandria , La that may be close since it is in the SE.  It has softball fields, soccer fields and golf.  Jim Lipe has one next door the was done for the Development authority so there are 36 holes there.  Problem is no one ever knows if these things are successful or not.  I know they get the rounds but they are governed year to year by new city councils.  For few years one thinks it is an asset to the community then another comes along and says close it.  You just never know.

[Joel_Stewart]

The most heavily played course in the world is a local muni in Honolulu named Ala Wai.  I would think it is one of the most successful unless some type of graft is going on?

[Joel_Stewart]

Harding Park would be an amazing case study for school.  It really should be a movie.

Dirty politics, greed, public financing, lining Tim Finchems pockets, poor architecture that cost tens of millions, budgeting problems, etc, etc, etc.

[Lester George]

Brian,

You should check out Rock Manor in Wilmington Delaware.  Built in 1922 and very neat little course. 

Lester

[Jeff_Brauer]

For study purposes, I would assume he would want a newer course to show it can pay off the cost of constructoin debt, no?  A long ago paid for course should be able to cover its operating expenses, although a long term study of a muni course and what its life stages are might also be a worthy study.   From the old ones, you would probably find many that started life as a country club.

[Lester George]

Brian,

Jeffs comments made me realize that I should have said more.  Rock Manor was completely rebuilt a few years back (by us) because of expansion and need.  There is nothing left of the original.  It was never a country club.  A municipal from day one.  Very succesful because of location, loyal patrons and fun factor.

Lester

[Tim Leahy]

Haggin Oaks, in Sacramento, CA would be a great case study.  They have really benefitted from a Mackenzie designed course and turned around a failing facility by redoing the club house, expanding the driving range and having one of the best pro shops in the country. They have great junior programs and people use the range until midnight every day of the week.

[Kalen Braley]

Indian Canyon in Spokane, WA by Egan Chandler

"Indian Canyon was designed in 1930 by H. Chandler Egan and opened for play in 1935. Indian Canyon has been chosen by Golf Digest as one of the top 25 public course in the United States. The course sits atop the west entrance to Spokane, overlooking the city. As the host to many major tournaments, Indian Canyon has hosted the USGA three times; the United States Amateur Public Links Championship in 1941 and 1984; and the United States Womens Amateur Public Links Championship in 1989. Indian Canyon now hosts the Rosauers Open, the largest PGA section event in the United States."

It really is a cool place with lots of history and some very big names have walked those fairways over the years..

[Matthew Petersen]

Aurora, CO has some nice municipal courses. They had a handful of older tracks, and then demand spurred them to grow in the 90s. They took over a former military course and built two new 18-hole facilities all in the space of about 10 years.

The last of those newly built courses is Murphy Creek, which has played host to a PubLinx and has been generally well-reviewed here.

[Dave McCollum]

Brian—
I’m not sure this fits your model, but I run a privately-owned public, Canyon Springs, in Twin Falls, Idaho.  Successful seems like something of an exaggeration.  However, we’ve been around for 36 years and are still plugging along.
 
The good thing about muni’s is that their operating budgets are often a matter of public record and posted on the Web.  It takes some searching, but there is a lot of information out there.

Private guys like me aren’t too keen about putting their numbers out to the public.  We compete with a local muni that always needs to be subsidized by the city (despite paying no property taxes).  Also with all the privates and other publics around.  However, if you want to IM or email me your questions, once your study takes shape, I might be able to provide some perspective from where we sit.  I have more time once the season begins to wind down.

We’re very affordable, have a beautiful site, compete well with both the public and private courses in our market, host our share of state and regional events, and we frequently hear that we have the best layout of any course in the area.  I’m hardly an objective source for such subjective evaluations, but do think that we offer pretty good golf, especially given our location and the price we can charge in our market.  Unlike most of my customers, I don’t confuse conditioning with design.  Sure, we’re shaggy, wild and wooly, have plenty of brown, put most of our maintenance dollars into the basic stuff like good greens, but I’ve been around here long enough and traveled enough to say that we have excellent bones for golf.  (One day I hope to use all the years I’ve spent learning about good design to make this place really good.  We have everything we need but the $’s and the golfers to appreciate and support it.)  We’re located at the bottom of the spectacular Snake River Canyon, and provide public access for a wide range of recreational activities:  hiking, biking, boating, a county park, base jumping, ziplines, hunting, fishing, and, of course, golf.
 
If I can help, let me know. 

[Tim Gavrich]

Wintonbury Hills Golf Course in Bloomfield, CT.

[Dan Herrmann]

Tim - Good one...

There's a great story to be told about WH's creation.  I've played it twice and found it to be one of the best muni's (city/town owned) I've ever played.

[D_Malley]

Brian,
my club Paxon Hollow is a very sucessful municiple course outside of Phila. i would be happy to help you out with your project if you feel that it matches up with what you are looking for. the club was originally a private which was purchased by the twp in 1968 and has become a very popular and profitable muni course.

www.paxonhollowgolf.com

[Russell Lo]

Wailua GC on Kauai. I'm not sure if it fits the description of most successful from a financial standpoint, but it does well, serves the community and visitors admirably and provides on of the best bangs for your bucks anywhere.

A friend who is a member at Olympic played it recently and called it one of the best tracks he's played. Among his recent plays: Seminole, NGLA, Valley Club and of course Olympic.

A must play on Kauai.

[Matt Day]

I'm a bit biased but Wembley GC in Perth is a very successful municipal course. We will return $1.6 million dividend to the Town this year, and all works are self funded

36 holes doing an average of 168,000 rounds
80 bay automated driving range
State of the art teaching facility
Free short game areas

Kai Sai Chau in Hong Kong is also a very successful operation with 54 holes, 60 bay range and great teaching academy

[Pete Lavallee]

I'm surprised no one has mentioned Chambers Bay. It remeadiated a contaminated site and also provides a park and hiking trails, one which goes right through the center of the back nine. Although they have not yet turned a profit, they have landed the US Am and US Open.

Although most people think of Torrey Pines when muni golf and San Diego are mentioned we have another muni that is even more popular, Coronado GC on Coronado Island. The golf course was built on sand dredged from the harbor in the 1950's to allow Aircraft  Carriers to dock at North Ilsand. Jack Daray, who designed many of our local military course did the design in 1955. Because the course is built on fill it falls under the juristiction of the Port Authority; the courses charter allows it to make only enough profit to fund capital improvments. The fees are $30 during the week and $35 on the weekends; one of the lowest rates in town. Everybody pays the same rate, unlike at Torrey where there is a huge difference in price for locals and those who don't live in SD; $45 verse $215 for the South Course. The course is easy to walk, fun, well conditioned and in a great setting on Glorietta Bay. They close the golf course on the 4th of July and let the public picnic on it before fire works at sunset; lot's of bunker raking on the 5th!

[archie_struthers]

  


Lol pretty much an  oxymoron , as I'm guessing 95% are losers ! 

But exposing kids and the masses to the game is a plus

[SL_Solow]

Two older ones in the Chicago suburbs.  Village Links of Glen Ellyn.  Winnetka Public also known as Skokie Playfields.  Most of the communities along the North Shore in Chicago have reasonably successful munis including Glrncoe, Highland Park, Lake Forest and lake Bluff.  I can't say they are architectural gems but the demand is there and they are reasonably well run.

[Carl Nichols]

I'll put a plug in for the muni facility I grew up going to in Simsbury, CT, called Simsbury Farms.  It's got a very solid (though not spectacular) course with great views and everything else that most country clubs have, and then some.  From the website--

www.simsburyfarms.com


Spread out over 235 rolling acres, picturesque Simsbury Farms is the hub of recreational activity in Simsbury.  Opened for use in 1971, the facility offers a wide range of both active and passive recreation.  The 'Farms' was built on the former Orkil Farms apple orchard, and indeed offers something for everyone.

Designed by renowned architect Geoff Cornish, the golf course is one of the most popular and scenic in the area.  The course is equipped with a practice range and green, locker rooms and restaurant.  Season memberships are available to residents and starting times may be reserved by calling the Pro Shop two days in advance.

The outdoor aquatic area at Simsbury Farms consists of four separate pool areas; a 25 yard, eight lane pool, a 25 by 50 foot training area, a specially designed wading pool, and a separate diving pool.  The Department administers a full schedule of Red Cross lessons, as well as the Simsbury Sprinter swim team.  Season passes are available for both family and individuals, and the facility is available for rental.

The covered outdoor skating rink, rebuilt in 1999, is equipped with artificial ice making machinery and operates for 20 weeks during the winter.  In addition to a complete learn-to-skate instructional program, the rink is home to the Simsbury Youth Hockey Association and figure skating club.  The rink is lighted for evening use and is available for rental.  Both season passes and daily fees are available for residents for public skating.

If sports are your thing, two paddle tennis and four outdoor tennis courts are available for daytime or evening play.  The Department offers a full range of lessons and leagues for all ages.  The courts are also available for reservations.

The David Emott Memorial Family Fitness Trail consists of 20 exercise stations on a 2 1/2 mile circuit around the perimeter of the Complex.  Each station has posted guidelines for beginners as well as advanced exercisers, to help each individual develop their own program.

Ample space is available for picnicking with stoves and tables provided, as well as a playscape area.

The former Apple Barn sales area has been renovated as an indoor meeting and program area.  The facility is equipped with kitchen facilities and is available for use by local non-profit and civic organizations.  The facility is available for use by reservation.

Resident   
Weekday 18 holes  $  23.00
Weekday 9 holes    $  15.00
Weekend 18 holes  $  26.00
Weekend 9 holes   $  17.00
Sr./Jr. Weekday 18 holes    $  18.00
Sr./Jr. Weekday 9 holes  $  11.50

Season Memberships Resident   
Adult – Unlimited  $925.00
Senior – Weekday only  $500.00
Senior – Unlimited    $830.00
Junior    $470.00
  

[Jim Tang]

Pottawatomie GC in St. Charles, Illinois.  Designed by Robert Trent Jones Sr. in 1939.

The course is only 9 holes, built along the Fox River, roughly a half mile from downtown St. Charles.  Two holes play along the river.

The course is part of a larger park which includes a swimming pool, green space, a softball field and a miniature golf course.

[Roger Wolfe]

Laurel Hill in Lorton, VA.  Build a great course on free land (an old prison), in a great location (10 mins South of the beltway) and you can absolutely kill it.  Had they paid market price for the land and had to absorb the cost of that hefty mortgage... things might not be going so well.

The construction of Laurel Hill was the nail in the coffin for a lot of the big daily fees South of DC.  They just couldn't compete and as traffic on 95 becomes worse and worse... it was "game over man."