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Chattanooga: Play is up at cheap public courses

By: Adam Crisp
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By: David Uchiyama
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Gary Lindsey is a member at Signal Mountain Golf & Country Club, but he also averages a round per week at Brainerd Golf Course, which is owned and run by the city of Chattanooga.

The courses have obvious difference besides the course design and clubhouse amenities. Lindsey said he has noticed far more golfers playing at the lower-priced public course — way more than ever.

“There are a lot of people out here,” Lindsey said after teeing off on No. 10 with Rick McIlvene and two other friends last week. “My impression is that there are a lot more people playing closer to home than I noticed, say, last year.”

Lindsey’s observation is accurate.

Rounds of golf at public courses in the city are up in 2008 compared to last year, whereas courses in the outlying areas seem to have taken a dip.

Chattanooga’s three city-owned courses are posting their best financial year ever, said Edwin Prichard, the pro shop manager at Brainerd.

Golfers played 918 more rounds in June 2008 than in June 2007 at Brainerd. The Brown Acres and leased-out Moccasin Bend courses have had similar increases.

Brown Acres had 1,189 more rounds in June this year compared to June 2007, according to Wayne Orr, the golf manager there.

“When I was young and in a different business, we’d drive anywhere to play — Nob North (Cohutta, Ga.), Fields Ferry (Calhoun, Ga.), Dogwood Hills (Flat Rock, Ala.) or some other place,” Orr said. “I don’t think people are going on those trips.

“We’re seeing a lot of the same faces week after week.”

Rounds of golf at Moccasin Bend, which is operated by HMS Golf Management, are up 12 percent for the year and 18 percent since May 1, according to head pro Devere Keller.

“They tell us that golf is down everywhere,” Keller said. “Well, it’s not down around here.”

Data from National Golf Datatech shows a 5.5 percent reduction in rounds played in Tennessee from May 2007 to May 2008. In the eight-state Southeast region, rounds played increased 2.6 percent over the same time period, although rounds were down 2.2 percent nationwide.

The most popular golf states — California, South Carolina and Florida — have a combined 50 courses for sale. The Golf Foundation reported that 113 courses opened but 121.5 closed in 2007.

Industry professionals speculate the loss of favor is due to a souring economy, a lack of playing time and a general shift in how men relax.

“When I was a kid, if I wanted to go golfing with my dad, I had to be up and ready waiting at 6 a.m.,” said Jeff Craig, head pro at WindStone Golf Club. “Now, dads are getting up early to take their kids to soccer games or baseball. It’s just different.”

WindStone becoming a private club and Hickory Valley’s closing forced some local golfers to find other places to play — from Moccasin Bend to the Bear Trace at Harrison Bay. And Valleybrook Golf & Country Club in Hixson opened to the public this year.

“I believe we got a lot of WindStone’s rounds,” Bear Trace head pro Robin Boyer said. “That impacted us in a positive way, because that’s one less public game in town.”

Outside of town, some courses are having different results.

“I don’t have any hard facts, but rounds are down a little for us but we’re still OK,” said Al Foster, head pro at Nob North. “Instead of people from Atlanta or Chattanooga, we have a lot more peopling staying at home for vacations.”

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