| Suffered financial crisis, people give up some | | | | expects to reopen the course this week as part |
| expensive sports in order to save money.golf is | | | | of a push to sell homes again. |
| one of these sports.Then,hundreds of courses | | | | The owners of Palm Desert Country Club in Palm |
| have shut down, and once-exclusive country clubs | | | | Desert managed to secure an operating loan in |
| have slashed fees or let in the public. Often linked | | | | the last few weeks that has allowed them to |
| to housing tracts, the greens and fairways have | | | | start reseeding and watering, said Larry Kosmont, |
| slumped along with real estate. | | | | one of the owners. He plans to reopen the main |
| | | | course Dec. 4. |
| The Coachella Valley has more than 100 courses, | | | | "It's a very tough economy for golf courses," |
| and many of them, especially private clubs in new | | | | Kosmont said, "but we persevered." |
| subdivisions, have struggled as the housing crash | | | | To boost business, many private clubs are |
| drove away potential golfers. Homes near golf | | | | offering no-interest loans to help the |
| courses sell for a premium, so developers often | | | | less-well-heeled buy memberships, and public |
| were willing to subsidize a money-losing golf | | | | courses are rolling out the equivalent of blue-plate |
| business as long as they were making profits on | | | | specials, including cheaper rates for off hours and |
| home sales. | | | | discounts on lessons and merchandise. |
| "A lot of courses were being built to increase lot | | | | Some think heavy discounting is a mistake. |
| values for homes," said attorney Steven Lurie, a | | | | "The trend of downward rates in the golf industry |
| partner of Thompson at the Los Angeles law firm | | | | has been the real cause for many courses failing," |
| of Greenberg Glusker. "No one was paying | | | | said Mark Tansey, president of Palm |
| attention to the economics of golf courses | | | | Desert-based Sunrise Golf Inc., the company that |
| themselves." | | | | will run Escena for its owners. "Too many |
| About 30% of the courses that opened in the | | | | inexperienced operators are using price as a blunt |
| 1990s were connected with residential | | | | instrument to generate activity." |
| developments, said Jim Kass, director of research | | | | Not that golfers are protesting. |
| for the Florida-based National Golf Foundation. This | | | | Dwain Richardson, a hospital food director with an |
| year, 70% of new golf courses were part of the | | | | 18 handicap, enjoys the "twilight" specials at the |
| few projects coming out the end of the | | | | Tahquitz Creek Golf Resort in Palm Springs. By |
| development pipeline. | | | | starting midafternoon he can usually play 13 or 14 |
| In spite of all the financial setbacks experienced | | | | holes before it gets too dark to see. He pays only |
| by operators, however, golf courses themselves | | | | $29 and gets the use of a golf cart plus two free |
| have a knack for enduring, even if it's under new | | | | drinks at the bar. |
| ownership. | | | | Low prices keep golfers like him coming out, he |
| The Jack Nicklaus-designed Escena Golf Club in | | | | said, which could cement new habits. |
| Palm Springs, which opened in 2005 as part of a | | | | "I would play every other day if I could," |
| housing development, closed two years ago when | | | | Richardson said. "I can see why people get |
| one of the home-builder owners ran into financial | | | | addicted. |
| problems. A new owner took over the debt and | | | | |