Option letter excerpt Sun City West Independent online “ After reading recent opinions on Sun City West golf courses, I researched the Assessor’s Office website and found there is no covenant or deed restriction or attachment to restrict the sale of the golf courses. (•Unlike RCSC.) RCSCW golf courses use 50% of every dollar/FTE that is employed or dollars that pour through this association. The courses lose millions of dollars every year. They do not pay for themselves. Green fees do not cover the expenses. Consequently, if the courses are privatized, half of our salary, equipment and supplies expenses are eliminated.” ~ By Terry Burks | Sun City West More at Sun City West Independent online here.
Thanks EO. Bottom line is golf is an expensive amenity that adds greatly to the attractiveness of the community. SCW promotes themselves as being the premier golf community. I think this would imply they are trying to attract golfers as members. Recently, I visited the golf foundation website in search of learning more about the economics of golf course operations. There was little discussion of the cost side of the equation and much discussion on ways to expand the revenue stream. Based on what I know from the courses my uncle owned, the upside economics was always the value of developing the land. Golf was merely a way to minimize the carrying cost of the land until a developer came along with a big check. As a nonprofit with deed restricted courses our economics are quite different. The upside of golf for RCSC members is reflected in the value of their homes including the extra value if the home is located on a golf course. Golf fees will never cover the actual cost, including capital cost, of maintaining the courses. Consequently, we end up with interminable debate about how much to spend on golf and who should pay for it. The past board that I resigned from was probably the most anti-golf board RCSC has seen in a long time. This Board has three golf "enthusiasts" on it and is much more golf friendly. I see the value of being a golf course community in the value of my home. I enjoy golf but, much to the dismay of my father and uncle, I really am a golf underachiever. So where does that leave us as an active adult lifestyle community? My guess is this debate will continue into the indefinite future and the pro/con pendulum will swing back and forth.
We will never "fix" golf until we make major changes. That will never happen when we have golf league members on the golf committee. They will always protect their own turf before thinking what is best for Sun City. A group of casual golfers that have played all over the country would be much better choices. How much do we lose by missed tee times? Get rid of cash. Credit card only. Charge when the tee time is made. If they don't show up, we still have the money. It may be time to bring back trail fees. They had them about 25 years ago. Say about $5 if you have your own cart. Repurpose Quail Run when it opens back up. No tee times. Starter keeps 2 sheets, cart and no cart. Announce the next single or group when the last ones leave the first green. No forced groupings. If you want to play alone, that's fine. We have lots of people that would like to at least try golf and many that haven't played in years but not the way it is now. A person playing with a grandchild that never played before. A man that would like to play with his wife. It would speed up play on the other courses. Many new golfers would move on to the other courses as their skill level increases. But, as long as some people think about how much they can play for as little money as possible instead of looking at golf as a pleasurable experience, nothing will change. Remember. Big changes are only big to the people living here before the change, a declining number. For the people that move here from that day forward, a rising number, it's the way it's always been.
