Ken:
The evolution of the golf market to include CCFAD's is a good one in my mind.
Frankly, there was a category of player who was not going to join or be accepted at certain private clubs.
This same player also didn't want to play at muni's -- which until the last 15-20 years -- were often decrepit places which literally stuck holes in the ground and not much else.
Let me point out that maybe in your area of the country the private clubs are much more open but for the northeast corridor private clubs are essentially that -- PRIVATE.
Ken, the issue is that too much building of golf courses happened -- too many people accepted the lame NGF report that called upon massive building of courses even when the total # of players was static.
Golf's real issue is that Generation X & Y don't see golf as the sport to play -- the amt of time it takes to play and the cost are still mega hurdles which the game has failed to address.