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Staunton, VA, City Golf Course, also known as Gypsy Hill Golf Course, has been on the chopping block year after year by its city council. In 2020, they plan to launch a research study to finally decide its fate, but it looks like they are torn whether to call in outside consultants.

Contacting the city council with an offer of expert help would most likely be welcomed.

The golf course is located in a beautiful, thriving city park in a picturesque and extremely active town, famous for its annual Harry Potter festival, which draws worldwide visitors. IMO, the course has enough consumers to add events and services to the course to generate revenue, along with a strong PR program and family driving facility.

Tim

Looking for information on creative ways to recruit, incentivize and manage staff for a municipal golf Course -

Our 100-year-old golf course, which is the oldest golf course in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia is under scrutiny by the Staunton City Council. As a Councilwoman on the Staunton City Council, I am in the midst of a debate on whether to save our 18 hole golf course that is part of the Gypsy Hill Park located in the city of Staunton. This golf course is the home base for many high schools in the area, including our own Staunton High School Storms. This is a very affordable golf course to play with fees set at $25 before 11:00am and $20 after 11:00am. This does include cart fees. The land the golf course sits on is very beautiful and the course is well-maintained. However, it does not necessarily have a lot of extra frills because it is a municipal golf course. The majority of the citizens of Staunton appear to want to keep the 18 hole golf course as is and have advised that they understand the golf course does not make money, but it’s under the parks and rec department and parks and rec is not designed to make money for a city, it’s about the quality of life for its citizens.
City Council will have many more discussions on the issue and it will be interesting to see the final results.

Andrea, thank you for the comment. I went to college just down I-81 from Staunton and wish I had played Gypsy Hill Park in those years. I think the comments about the course's status as a public resource - not necessarily a money-maker - for locals are very wise. The course's use by young people also would seem to argue for its preservation, and perhaps there are some strategies that the City could apply to lift rounds a bit. Several municipalities - even ones of Staunton's size, have made golf work.

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Check out Mooresville Golf in Mooresville,NC. A great success story.

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Henrico County here in central Virginia is now threatening to "repurpose" our historic Belmont Golf course, home of the 1949 PGA championship. That would be a real tragedy and there is no reason to think that Henrico County has serious budget problems.

I am in fact thankful to the owner of this site who has shared this impressive article.
http://subway-surfer.com/

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Good article. A good overview of the problem, with lots of real-world examples.

Clearly rounds (demand) for muni golf is decreasing, but I think the problem is more complex than the general decline of golf. After the course building boom of the Tiger Era, the market is much more segregated and competitive. Golfers have more choices, at different price points, and don't have to default to the local muni just cuz it's close. I wonder how well many of these struggling munis are really marketing themselves: Using social media effectively (or at all), determining their target market and ideal price point in the local market, advertising, running specials, filling non-peak times with non-peak memberships, targeting local retirees and juniors, holding junior clinics, catering to large outings, seeking out charity outings, 9-hole theme nights, etc. I see plenty of upscale publics doing these things, but not a lot of munis.

The other question no one is asking is, why have munis become so cost-prohibitive to run & maintain? The cost of maintenance equipment? Modern agronomy practices/chemical costs? Cart costs (purchase, maintenance, fuel)? Large underutilized clubhouses? It can't be the 5-8 guys they have on staff (pro shop attendant, starter, bar tender, cook, greenskeepers, cart boy) at minimum wage on any given day.

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Some of these prices for daily fee none muni courses make regular use of these courses prohibitive. Without regular play,your game suffers and you don't want to play. High green fees is killing the game. I don't see how these high end golf communities can survive.

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Interesting article, this is a hilarious book about a municipal course... https://www.amazon.com/18-Holes-Green-Timothy-McHugh/dp/0999405918/ref=sr_1_1?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1528401933&sr=1-1&keywords=18+holes+of+green

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Golfing in Seattle area is starting to be a rip off. Yes, you can still play Gold Mountain fairly cheap. However, Washington National is $107 without a players card $93 with. A $100 bill better get you emaculate greens...which it don’t. WA Nat don’t dry out until June (Like many courses here). Seattle has been known to have good golf, but with a price now!!! Chambers Bay $250+
Also, many courses here are usually in below ave shape:(
So long Seattle...transplants are taking over!

This article is about Municipal Golf . Municipal Golf are golf courses owned by the state , county or city governmens. If you speaking of Seattle proper itself they have three great golf courses well worth the price in Jefferson Park, Jackson Park and West Seattle try one of those golf courses as I said they are truly municipal golf