BYU NewsNet - Golf is struggling in a bad economy

With the golf season fast approaching, one question is on the minds of course owners around the state: How will the economy affect the season?

“It’s a little early to tell,” said Kean Ridd, the head golf professional at the Reserve at East Bay in Provo. “We don’t start up until April 25 and we probably won’t be able to tell anything until mid-May.”

Golf courses across the nation have started to lower their membership and green fees in an effort to encourage people to keep golfing despite the economic recession.

Gladstan Golf Course, in Payson, is offering rebates and extras to get people out on the course. In particular, the course is offering benefits to children and families, with hopes that the economy will have a positive affect for local golf courses.

“We’re really promoting family and kid activities more than we have before,” said Tracy Zobell, the golf professional at Gladstan. “Maybe people, when they don’t travel during the hard economy, will stay here and play locally.”

Because of the late start for golfers this year, courses are even warier of the impact of the economy.

“We made budget cuts,” Zobell said. “We’re running on a really lean budget. We’re trying to cut any extras while trying to maintain the golf course. We don’t want anything to affect the course but still need to conserve water and stuff.”

Gladstan has recently extended its hours to allow golfers to spend more time on the green. They now close when the sun goes down. Other courses in

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ECONOMY

Utah, including Gladstan, Homestead and Soldier’s Hollow, have cut daily fees already.

With better weather in St. George, many courses there have already had a number of business days.

“In talking with other professionals down south, like in St. George … they say that when the weather is good, people are coming out,” Zobell said.

Many courses on the East Coast have already started to drastically lower their costs and membership fees to try and stay competitive.

“In Utah, you can play for $40 or $50,” BYU golf coach Bruce Brockbank said. “That’s a huge starting difference from the $100 to $150 that it costs to play on the East Coast.”

Nationwide, 121 courses closed their doors while another 113 opened up in 2007. Data is not yet out for new golf courses in 2008, but according to The Associated Press, it is expected to decrease.

“It will be interesting around here,” Brockbank said. “They’ll have a challenge here because of the late start in the season.”