Valpo golf business down (Jul 29)

July 29, 2015 – Golf business at the city’s two golf courses hasn’t been desirable, but Parks Department officials aren’t about to raise a white flag.

Golf Courses Superintendent Rich Frey said May ended with an 11 percent increase in golf revenue from the prior year. But bad weather in June brought revenue down $1,900 from last year.

There have been 11 impacted weather days for Forest Park and Creekside golf courses this year compared to a five-year average of two days, Frey said.

Frey said they average $3,000 of golf revenue on any given day in June.

In 2014 the major weather impact happened in August and September, Frey said. There were six weather-impacted days at Forest Park and Creekside was closed 11 days because a good portion of it was under water.

“We feel that if we can even get close to an average weather month for August and September, we’re able at sitting flat at this point to come out ahead by some stretch at the end of year,” Frey said.

The $1,900 also absorbs the $3,000 per month fee for a partnership the Parks Department has with Golf Visions, a company with over 20 years experience in golf management, to help review and improve its golf operations.

“Our goal to finish the year will be to have the $36,000 for their consulting expense and then to have a 10 percent increase net,” Parks Director John Seibert said. “We were ahead of the 10 percent at the end of May and we’re at flat now. Our target is to be back at that 10 percent by the end of the year.”