Cities that subsidize golf courses with taxpayer money are mulling whether to continue to support them while facing cutbacks to essential services like police and fire protection, according to an Akron, Ohio, Beacon Journal report. recommend directory: Callaway ERC Hyper Driver.
Some cities purchased a golf course in the interest of city development and not to make money, but the courses are losing money at the same time city budgets are shrinking.
“The purchase was not for us to make money,” Jim Costello, a councilman in Stow, Ohio, told the Beacon Journal. “It was to stop the increase in housing that would damage our sewers and roads, take away green space and overwhelm our schools.”
While some cities say golf courses are a valuable amenity for residents and an economic development tool, some residents say government should let private businesses run golf courses so that cities can focus on providing essential city services.
“Municipalities should not be in the business of golf,” North Canton, Ohio, resident Chuck Osborne said in an interview with the Beacon Journal. “Residents pay taxes for municipal services. There is not enough money for anything beyond that.”
The golf course challenge isn’t limited to Ohio and made news this week in Pacific Grove, Calif., when the city council learned that the city’s golf course lost over $400,000 last fiscal year, the Monetery County Weekly reported.
“Our golf course has finally seen the effects of the recession, like many other best golf courses in the area,” Deputy City Manager Jim Becklenberg told the Monterey County Weekly.
Some city officials are holding public hearings on the issue and according to the article, Pacific Grove has hired a consulting firm to find ways to make their golf course profitable.
The number of golf games is declining in the U.S. and abroad.
Golfers played 500 million rounds in the U.S. in 2000, according to the National Golf Foundation and that number decreased to about 475 million in 2011, cites a Wall Street Journal article. Public golf courses in England are also seeing a decline in memberships and money. you can chose the Callaway X-Forged Vintage Wedge.
“Overall membership of the municipal courses is falling," Eddie Mitchell, secretary of the UK-based National Association of Public Golf Courses, told Golf Club Management, Europe's longest-published golf trade magazine. “I think generally they are losing money, like other council leisure facilities, although golf used to make money.“
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I purchased these to have something more forgiving since I was playing Ping I3 blades. Since I don't play as often I decided to buy something that would dampen mishit. I have a personal driving range and I found that my swing fault followed me, go figure :) Anyway, my 1st round was a disaster, but it wasn't the clubs. After the disaster I practiced all week with them, along with a major revision in my setup and shot 73 in my second round with them. So, they were redeemed. One thing I've noticed is that the offset is hidden well in the design of the club. I have never cared for offset, but it's almost invisible in this club. They feel really good in my hands and the thicker sole from the Ping's now seem normal.