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The Bluffs made Me Sad Today
Posted on 5/23/21 at 9:46 pm
Posted on 5/23/21 at 9:46 pm
Played The Bluffs today.....to see what was once one of the Top 100 courses in the country fall into such a dismal state of disrepair is unforgivable.
The greens are hard and bumpy with dead spots all over....bunkers are flooded or havenot been worked in years....the fairways are getting thin and no longer offer a pristine lie as a reward for a good tee-shot....and the rough is just whatever weeds grow up where the mowers do not go.
If this course were a horse they would have shot it years ago. As much as the lay out has been one of my favorites, this may have been the last time I play out there.
Just a damn shame when the playability of this course falls to that of Webb Park.....at least with Webb I know what I am getting into.
The greens are hard and bumpy with dead spots all over....bunkers are flooded or havenot been worked in years....the fairways are getting thin and no longer offer a pristine lie as a reward for a good tee-shot....and the rough is just whatever weeds grow up where the mowers do not go.
If this course were a horse they would have shot it years ago. As much as the lay out has been one of my favorites, this may have been the last time I play out there.
Just a damn shame when the playability of this course falls to that of Webb Park.....at least with Webb I know what I am getting into.
5
Posted on 5/23/21 at 11:04 pm to Barrister
This thread about The Bluffs and the other thread about English Turn should be disconcerting to say the least. Is the state of affairs of Louisiana golf really this bad?
Not to mention all the threads about The Island and Copper Mill being inconsistent throughout the years.
Wanna say I even saw something on here that Money Hill wasn’t where it was 7-8 years ago.
I get the private clubs are more than likely doing well and thriving, but to have such inadequate semi-private/public courses is definitely not a good thing for avid golfers in the state.
Not to mention all the threads about The Island and Copper Mill being inconsistent throughout the years.
Wanna say I even saw something on here that Money Hill wasn’t where it was 7-8 years ago.
I get the private clubs are more than likely doing well and thriving, but to have such inadequate semi-private/public courses is definitely not a good thing for avid golfers in the state.
Posted on 5/23/21 at 11:24 pm to Paul Allen
I don't know much about the issues surrounding The Island and Copper Mill. But, the Bluffs and English Turn seem to share a common problem to me. They're both located in areas that had up and coming neighborhoods when they were built that are no longer desirable places to live. Without the community support, it's going to be tough for courses like those two to survive.
Posted on 5/23/21 at 11:28 pm to medtiger
quote:
located in areas that had up and coming neighborhoods when they were built that are no longer desirable places to live.
I get that, but where’s the replacement for the up and coming neighborhoods in 2021?
Seems like no new courses have being built in years.
Posted on 5/23/21 at 11:44 pm to Paul Allen
La golfers want a country club conditioned golf course and $30 green fees...that doesn't work too good...
Posted on 5/24/21 at 6:26 am to daberryballer
La golfers want a country club conditioned golf course and $30 green fees...that doesn't work too good...
It doesn’t work at all. That model has never worked in golf, especially in Louisiana. Golf was never meant to be a money maker. It’s a rich man’s leisure activity. It’s way too expensive to keep a pristine product and make money. It’s actually impossible.
Golf has to have a steady stream of money meet expectations (which are wildly unattainable around here to begin with). There’s only 3 ways to do it:
1. A full membership of people with disposable income. And that’s for a country club. Not a golf club. People join country clubs for social status. They just happen to have a nice golf course as part of their amenities. There are people that join country clubs that don’t play golf and don’t care. They pay full price for the scene.
2. A very rich owner that supplements the loss of the club. This could be one person (Squire Creek, Money Hill, The Bluffs at one time) or a casino (Kosati Pines, Tamaka Trails). Yes, those places lose money and still look nice.
3. Tax money. The doors stay open and sometimes it produces a good product if traffic doesn’t kill it (Beaver Creek is peaking beautifully. But if it saw the traffic Santa Maria sees over a ten year period, it’ll face challenges as well)
That’s it. That’s how golf courses survive. You can’t rely on public play. It’s really not that many and they are very fickle about their money. They demand tv conditions for barely nothing. It’ll never happen. You want a better product, pay more.
In the Baton Rouge area, developmental course sprang up and went down. Shenandoah, Fairwood, Sherwood Forest, The Island. And the ones still alive will never be decent or will close. The model doesn’t work. There’s only so many golfers and really, golf isn’t as popular as you think for the money that’s needed to make it work.
It doesn’t work at all. That model has never worked in golf, especially in Louisiana. Golf was never meant to be a money maker. It’s a rich man’s leisure activity. It’s way too expensive to keep a pristine product and make money. It’s actually impossible.
Golf has to have a steady stream of money meet expectations (which are wildly unattainable around here to begin with). There’s only 3 ways to do it:
1. A full membership of people with disposable income. And that’s for a country club. Not a golf club. People join country clubs for social status. They just happen to have a nice golf course as part of their amenities. There are people that join country clubs that don’t play golf and don’t care. They pay full price for the scene.
2. A very rich owner that supplements the loss of the club. This could be one person (Squire Creek, Money Hill, The Bluffs at one time) or a casino (Kosati Pines, Tamaka Trails). Yes, those places lose money and still look nice.
3. Tax money. The doors stay open and sometimes it produces a good product if traffic doesn’t kill it (Beaver Creek is peaking beautifully. But if it saw the traffic Santa Maria sees over a ten year period, it’ll face challenges as well)
That’s it. That’s how golf courses survive. You can’t rely on public play. It’s really not that many and they are very fickle about their money. They demand tv conditions for barely nothing. It’ll never happen. You want a better product, pay more.
In the Baton Rouge area, developmental course sprang up and went down. Shenandoah, Fairwood, Sherwood Forest, The Island. And the ones still alive will never be decent or will close. The model doesn’t work. There’s only so many golfers and really, golf isn’t as popular as you think for the money that’s needed to make it work.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 7:07 am to BonesMalone
It was a good weather day yesterday, but the courses were still wet. Beaver Creek and Greystone both had hardly any openings until the late afternoon. People are playing golf.
No one is driving to The Bluffs to play a goat ranch. It isn't worth the drive. It was worth it when it was in good shape. Same with The Island. Same with Carter. It's a product of location. If you build a course 45 minutes from town, it better be in good shape. Golf takes too much time as it is. No reason to go further from home unless it is in great shape.
There is an argument to be made that this shouldn't be a 3 private club town.
No one is driving to The Bluffs to play a goat ranch. It isn't worth the drive. It was worth it when it was in good shape. Same with The Island. Same with Carter. It's a product of location. If you build a course 45 minutes from town, it better be in good shape. Golf takes too much time as it is. No reason to go further from home unless it is in great shape.
There is an argument to be made that this shouldn't be a 3 private club town.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 7:36 am to The Johnny Lawrence
They were playing because they couldn’t all week because of the weather. The difference is Greystone was hurt by no play. If Beaver has play or not, it’s doing fine.
The Bluffs when it was at its peak, number 1 in the state and top 100, was mortgaged to the eyeballs. It was broke.
You’re right about location. But it’s much easier to build a course where the land is cheaper. Beaver Creek was given to BREC for development. Santa Maria went belly up and was sold for a steal. No one tried to reconstruct Sherwood, Fairwood, Shenandoah. There’s nine holes available at old Briarwood. Ain’t nobody gonna tackle that.
Those golfers you see at courses yesterday are the only ones available in the area. The game is not growing and it’s a tough business.
The Bluffs when it was at its peak, number 1 in the state and top 100, was mortgaged to the eyeballs. It was broke.
You’re right about location. But it’s much easier to build a course where the land is cheaper. Beaver Creek was given to BREC for development. Santa Maria went belly up and was sold for a steal. No one tried to reconstruct Sherwood, Fairwood, Shenandoah. There’s nine holes available at old Briarwood. Ain’t nobody gonna tackle that.
Those golfers you see at courses yesterday are the only ones available in the area. The game is not growing and it’s a tough business.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 7:41 am to Barrister
I remember when I first started playing golf, English turn and The Bluffs was on my early bucket list. It's ashame I didn't play them when they were at their peak conditions.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:02 am to BonesMalone
Louisiana just isn't a great golf state. Similar weather and topography to Florida but not the same socioeconomics. I believe it's ranked 49th in a ranking of golf states. Lived there for two years and was disappointed the golf wasn't better for a state with year round warm weather. The Bluffs location is what kills it. Only way it would ever be a viable course is if it was purchased by a casino and was totally renovated to be in elite condition then they charge $80 to $100 for a tee time. Otherwise why drive (and waste expensive af gas) when you have Beaver and Copper closer. BR can definitely support three private courses considering it's metro is over 800,000. Columbia Mo has three great CC's and metro isn't even half of BR.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:42 am to nerdmachine
quote:
Similar weather and topography to Florida
No it really isn't similar in weather.
quote:
Lived there for two years and was disappointed the golf wasn't better for a state with year round warm weather
This just isn't true in regards to growing grass. It may not be the Midwest but Year Around Warm Weather in regards to Golf isn't true for Louisiana.
quote:
Columbia, MO
Does Columbia, MO have a BREC and LSU equivalent that has completely upended the Economics of golf in the area?
This post was edited on 5/24/21 at 8:46 am
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:43 am to BonesMalone
quote:
BonesMalone
Nailed it!
This is also why I wonder if Squire can survive after Davison passes on. His children aren’t wealthy. They’re mooches. Davison has been subsidizing Squire and his children’s lifestyles since day 1.
The benevolent dictator is really the only way a prime gold course seems to be able to survive in La. But it’s a model that can’t last forever.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:48 am to BonesMalone
quote:
La golfers want a country club conditioned golf course and $30 green fees...that doesn't work too good...
They also want this at 7-9am on Saturday morning and that is the only time they are willing to play.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:53 am to nerdmachine
BR metro private courses
BRCC
UC
CCL
Pelican Point
Greystone
The Island ????
False River
Other private courses in the metro area???
BRCC
UC
CCL
Pelican Point
Greystone
The Island ????
False River
Other private courses in the metro area???
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:53 am to BonesMalone
quote:
La golfers want a country club conditioned golf course and $30 green fees...that doesn't work too good...
I can play a course in Dallas for less than $50 similar to Carter Plantation. Over a dozen of them actually.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:55 am to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
I can play a course in Dallas for less than $50 similar to Carter Plantation. Over a dozen of them actually.
That’s about 20 bucks too high
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:59 am to Mingo Was His NameO
quote:
I can play a course in Dallas for less than $50 similar to Carter Plantation. Over a dozen of them actually.
One of the misleading things about I can play in this city for this price dicussion is it needs to be about times and time of year. The prices at all courses vary. People tell me I played XYZ course and they are charging more at Beaver. I am like when did you play? And they are like 2pm on a Tuesday. I am like Beaver doesn't charge that price at 2 pm on a tuesday all year.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 8:59 am to doubleb
quote:
BRCC
UC
CCL
Pelican Point
Greystone
The Island ????
False River
Most of these are Semi-Private.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 9:08 am to lsu13lsu
It’s not like there aren’t models out there to have nice affordable public golf. Louisiana just lacks the infrastructure.
In Alabama the RTJ Trail is funded in large part by the Retirement Systems of Alabama...which gets mucho state tax dollars.
In Mississippi the casinos fund the courses. Here, we’ve got the casinos, but not a damn one of them has a golf course.
There’s things that could be done, and instead we have to look to almighty BREC to answer the bell.
In Alabama the RTJ Trail is funded in large part by the Retirement Systems of Alabama...which gets mucho state tax dollars.
In Mississippi the casinos fund the courses. Here, we’ve got the casinos, but not a damn one of them has a golf course.
There’s things that could be done, and instead we have to look to almighty BREC to answer the bell.
Posted on 5/24/21 at 9:12 am to TXGunslinger10
quote:
Louisiana just lacks the infrastructure.
Louisiana lacks the jobs and demographics (not talking about race). Whenever you hear of a corporation leaving Louisiana just know that is killing golf and has been for a long time. Whenever you hear that our state government's largest incentive is to bring in the Film Industry that isn't going to save golf here.
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