Photo Credit: Courtesy of Naperville Park District
Economically speaking, this country may not ever get back to the way it once was. And, if it does, it’s going to take much longer than originally expected. Not surprisingly, the golf market has been impacted along with virtually every other industry, but perhaps even more as the discretionary income of many Americans is evaluated.
At municipal courses like Springbrook and Naperbrook, located in the Naperville area 35 miles west of Chicago, there are even more challenges regarding price and value.
Since the two courses are somewhere in the middle of the pack when it comes to pricing, staff members must keep a watchful eye on the type of experience that’s being created for golfers. And, there’s no question that maintenance operations play a significant role. The ongoing challenge is to discover creative ways to maintain the courses while shaving expenses to preserve a favorable bottom line. Yet, as these Naperville Park District courses discovered in 2008, this is easier said than done.