how much does it cost to maintain an 18 hole golf course

Full Answer

How much does it cost to maintain a golf course?

Hawaii is, on average, the most expensive state in which to maintain a course, at $1.44 million a year. That’s followed by tracks in the southwestern U.S., where the average yearly maintenance cost is $1.05 million. Because they have such a short season, courses in the north central states come in, on average, at a bargain $556,000.

How much does it cost to build an 18-hole golf course?

Adding the number of tees up for an 18-hole course is 72 tees and a surface area of more than 86,000 square feet. The approximate cost to build the tees could range from $50,000 to $200,000. Size, quality, and quantity of bunkers play a significant role in the cost of the bunkers.

How many acres do you need to build a golf course?

A 9-hole par-3 course can be built on as little as 65 acres, while an 18-hole pitch and putt require around 25 to 30 acres. Shorter courses require less land due to shorter fairways that can be narrower than a standard 18-hole golf course, thus saving on the cost to build a golf course.

How much does it cost to join a private golf club?

The costs of membership to a private golf club typically ranges from $1,000 to $10,000 annually, but can be more. In addition to a membership fee, clubs will often charge initiation fees, which are much higher than annual dues. For example, the famous Augusta National Golf Club is extremely exclusive, only having 300 members.

Is owning a golf course profitable?

Profitable golf courses are generally selling for six to eight times EBITDA, while courses that aren't profitable tend to sell at 0.8 to 1.4 times revenue.

How much money does it take annually to maintain a perfect golf course?

The cost to achieve and maintain the golf course condition players expect, or will at least tolerate, ranges from roughly $500,000 a year for a daily-fee course to a cool million a year for a private club, according to Bob Randquist, chief operating officer of the Golf Course Superintendents' Association of America.

Why are maintenance costs so expensive for a golf course?

The greens. They are the most essential element of any course, but because of labor and equipment they are also the most expensive things to maintain — even if some of our demands are a costly waste. Firm and fast is the golf standard for greens.

How much does it cost to maintain Augusta National?

between $100,000 and $300,000Membership is believed to cost between $100,000 and $300,000 and annual dues were estimated in 2020 to be less than $30,000 per year. Club members are sometimes referred to as "green jackets."

How much profit does a golf course make?

On an encouraging note, Sageworks' data show that even though golf courses have negative margins, they have strengthened steadily since 2008, when the average net profit margin was about -9%.

What is the profit margin on golf clubs?

After all expenses, the best golf retailers rarely profit more than 2-3% of the total cost of a club. However, as a whole, we can say that around 33.33% of the cost of a golf club is the markup from the retailer.

How much does a golf course spend on fertilizer?

Fertigation is becoming the way for golf courses to be able to fertilize the grounds in the most efficient and cost-effective way. Did you know that golf courses spend $25,000 to over $100,000 on fertilizer annually?

How is a golf course maintained?

Golf course maintenance refers to maintenance activities done to keep course resources in good working condition. It includes repairing and replacing club assets, mowing and chemically treating turf, eliminating ball marks, improving playing conditions, and more.

How much does it cost to start golfing?

Beginner sets start around $150 and go up to about $1000. Beginner golf sets are lightweight and usually have quite a bit of flexibility. A beginner set may come with a golf bag, and everything needed to get started on the course.

Is Tiger Woods a member of Augusta?

According to Golf Week, there are a few ways to play at the course. And getting invited by a member is one of them. However, despite being a 5-time champion at the Masters, Tiger Woods doesn't have a membership at the Augusta. The other option for Charlie to play at the Augusta would be to become a volunteer.

How much does the groundskeeper at Augusta make?

The average salary for a groundskeeper is $13.27 per hour in Augusta, GA and $4,125 overtime per year. 32 salaries reported, updated at June 7, 2022.

How much does a round at Augusta cost?

There are roughly 300 members of Augusta National, and being invited by one of them is the quickest way to get a round in at the famous course. Members are allowed to bring a guest on the course for a relatively small fee of $40.

Public Course

For the average golf player, most will play on a public course, otherwise known as a municipal course. This means the course is owned by a city or county, and typically doesn't operate to make a profit.

Private Course

Private courses are owned by a golf club, and therefore tend to be higher quality. These clubs will hire more renowned golf course architects, and maintain the course at a much higher level than a public course.

What is the most frequently mowed area of golf courses?

Putting greens are the most frequently mowed area of golf courses and the associated costs are significant. Mower technology has improved to the point where triplex units can produce a quality of cut equivalent to that of walk-behind mowers.

Why are golf courses removed from the Southwest?

Out of necessity, many courses in the Southwest removed maintained rough in peripheral areas to cut down on water usage and save money. For years, golf courses have also replaced mown rough with naturalized or unmown rough.

How does failing to invest affect golf?

Failing to invest in improvements and upgrades may also affect how golfers perceive a facility. Golf is a competitive business, and golfers are more likely to play at golf courses that demonstrate a commitment to quality by making improvements.

How did the recession affect golf?

These effects are not surprising given the challenges created by an oversupply of golf courses that is partially the product of the aging golfer demographic and declining participation rates among younger generations. Furthermore, extended periods of severe drought have increased the price of water and limited its availability for golf courses.

What was the effect of the recession on golf courses?

The good news is that the recession caused golf facilities to re-evaluate maintenance practices, presentation options and course amenities. Many golf courses were forced to differentiate between essential and nonessential maintenance programs so they could focus on what matters most.

Does fertilizer save money?

Fertilizer and Plant Protectants. Carefully analyzing fertilizer costs can reveal some significant opportunities to save money even though fertilizer does not represent a major percentage of a typical golf course maintenance budget.

Is golf course maintenance competitive?

Golf course maintenance work is demanding and the labor market is very competitive. Recruiting and retaining reliable maintenance staff is currently one of the biggest challenges at golf facilities across the country. Additionally, there are many hidden costs associated with hiring and training new maintenance employees.

How Much Land Does It Take To Build A Golf Course?

How much to build a golf course depends significantly on the cost of the land. An average 18-hole golf course requires approximately 140 and 180 acres, while a 9-hole course requires 70 and 100 acres. A 9-hole par-3 course can be built on as little as 65 acres, while an 18-hole pitch and putt require around 25 to 30 acres.

How Much Does It Cost To Build A Golf Course?

In 2001, Michigan State University found that the median cost to build a golf course was $14 million. But it varied between $7 and $25 million. It is difficult to provide an exact cost to the question, how much is it to build a golf course since there are many options and expenses.

FAQs

Owning a golf course can be quite profitable and rewarding if the construction costs can be kept low without sacrificing quality.

Buzzkill

Don't have midwest info but when I worked in Florida our budget for two 18 hole courses with 2 mechanics and 15 greenskeepers was $750K which I believe is low by most standards. This was a private country club too.

Pepperturbo

In my experience - some numbers quoted here are low. Maybe they are low end courses (not meant as an insult anyone), can't say. On average, courses in AZ and CA cost about 6M-15M, depending on course turf, turf equipment and facilities. An acquaintance bought a tournament level course years back.

HenryBall

If you are running an 18 hole facility with food and beverage ops here are some of the numbers you can expect Food and Bev operation: 150,000 Golf related expense (flags, event signs, handicapping, pos software, staff, range balls, etc): 100,000 Maintenance: 200,000 Marketing: 75,000 Misc repairs/expenses: 100,000 These numbers may be slighlty skewed.

8orBetter

I'm sure the cost of gas is a budget buster for a lot of courses out there, especially with a weak economy where membership is cutting back either due to being laid off from work or just cutting back on expenses.

KennyLee

Way too broad of a question to get a good answer to without a ton more information. I've seen budgets that were $300k per year (goat track) and places where the greenskeeper made that much or more.

Tstiles

How much could one expect to spend on operating expenses for an above average golf course in the Midwest? I don't have much information to offer but would like some info on this. Thanks guys.

SFbaybum

Are you guys including other op expenses if you have more than a golf course (pool, tennis, etc)?

How much did golf courses spend on iron in 2016?

Equipment suppliers should be primed for a solid 2016. The biggest budgetary rise will be in mowing/cultivating equipment, with the average course spending $42,800 on iron in 2016 compared to $31,300 in 2015.

What was the average maintenance budget in 2012?

For those wondering, the average maintenance budgets in 2012 and 2013 were $651,392 and $622,500, respectively. More than half of superintendents (52 percent) will see their maintenance budgets increase in 2016 while only 16 percent will be forced to trim expenses.