The Game Is Not The Same At All Courses

All the courses in the DelMarVa area have their seasons in full swing. Most of them are in great shape. Some clubs seem to have a hard time keeping their courses maintained during this rainy spring. The Beach Club, for example, lets its rough get deeper than a U.S. Open set up. It's possible grounds crews there and elsewhere are smaller this year as a result of budget cuts.

ARE THEY KIDDING? Ruark Co., which owns and operates Beach Club, as well as nearby Lighthouse Sound, Rum Pointe, Glen Riddle and Nutter's Crossing has raised greens fees. Nutter's, for example, is now $40. Hey, for $40 you can play the Robert Trent Jones course, just outside, D.C., where The President's Cup is contested. What kind of management logic says you should raise prices when rounds-played is a declining number?

HERITAGE SHORES is course worth trying. It's the centerpeice in a new residential community off of Route 13 in Bridgeville, DE, which seems to be at a standstill as far as new construction goes. The course is in great shape, despite a few drainage issues, has wide fairways and fast greens, but a lot of water comes into play. You don't want to play during a cart-path-only restriction, though. The layout has
many small hills bordering the cart paths, making if difficult to see your ball in the fairway. Taking the wrong clubs with you into the fairway results, and it's a long, slow-play-producing walk back to the cart to get the correct clubs.

OCEAN PINES golf course is looking much better. The fairways have filled in nicely. The greens are in pretty good shape. Hole # 4, a long par 5, has re-opened for play but it is still cart-path-only, so it plays slow. The wet spring has helped. OP, however, still needs to work on the relationship side of its business. They are getting more non-member play, which is needed in order to produce additional revenue. But will they come again? Non-members who have played there say they weren't made to feel welcome. Stymie thinks OP needs to train the staff better in customer relations. They need job descriptions and specified responsibilities. For example, staying on top of the driving range. When non-members come (later in the day, usually) and weekenders come to play, the ball machine frequently is empty and no baskets are to be found. Only when someone goes into the pro shop to complain does a staff member attend to the range. This does not make players feel welcome! Other courses instruct the rangers to pass by the driving range during his circuit and let the pro shop know what's needed. On another note, why doesn't Ocean Pines co-market its golf course and restaurant, The Yacht Club. Any non-member who pays to play at Ocean Pines should be treated like royalty with tokens of appreciation from the pro shop and guest privileges at the Yacht Club and pools. Make them want to come back, and maybe even think about buying a place in Ocean Pines. Most non-member players probably assume the Yacht Club is private, and the grill at the golf club leaves a lot to be desired. So they spend there dining dollars elsewhere.

DEALS FOR LOCALS. With many golf courses across the land reporting a drop in rounds played, why aren't prices coming down? Stymie would think they would fair better with more players at lower rates. Recent articles in golf publications indicate some of the big name course and country club have lowered fees, but courses around DelMarVa remain pricey. They should remember that, when the golf package players have gone and the season dwindles down to a few days of good golfing weather, it is the "locals" who will sustain them, if the price is right. But, strangely, Lighthouse, Glen Riddle, Rum Pointe, Baywood Greens, River Run and one or two others don't discount in a meaningful way to local players in the off-season. Evidently they would rather have empty courses than offer reduced rates to locals to keep enough revenue coming in to at least pay the daily overhead. When will they learn?

EAGLES LANDING still has the best deal around. The course is wonderfully maintained. The grill is among the best. You'd want to go there just to eat, even without playing golf. And locals are offered value with low membership fees for the Talon Club. After paying for an annual membership costing less than $200, you can play for a reduced rate, including cart. What's more, after the season ends, you can play for pocket change to ride and nearly nothing to walk the course. And, it is one of the few remaining courses that permits walking in prime time. Other area courses would do well to follow this model.