...And Supers trying to keep up with all the extra bodies around and damage to the course...
And usually with less labor than they have ever had. Visited a high end resort last week, which used to have a crew of 19, now they have 6, not because they want to, its just that (as the super and I lamented) as kids we thought golf course jobs were the bomb, now, if they can run a register at $16 per hour and not get up at 4.30AM every day, why wouldn't they?
As to initiation fees, I doubt I still have the newspaper clippings, but in my 30+ years in DFW, club memberships have always gone way up and down, depending on the economy and demand. I remember it spiking similarly at least twice. Not sure what it tellsus but I always figured even the six figure income guys were typically spending on the edge, maxing out whenever the economy was good, and getting a bit conservative when they might lose their jobs, or whatever.
Varying economies affect public courses similarly. When it dips, players go from the $100 courses to $60 or so courses that really aren't that much (if any) a drop in quality from the premium ones. Ditto, often, with resort play, when those who were thinking of going to Bandon choose some closer regional resort that they can only pay a few nights hotel and travel, etc., over what it takes to get to a remote national/international level resort.
The good news is, few dedicated golfers give up golf when times are bad.....they just focus on cheaper ways to play.