City to close McCall Lake Golf Course

[malcolmk14]

24 hour policy at least gives the golf course a chance to fill the spot. Say two foursomes a day cancel their tee time one hour out and the spots aren't filled, that is around $500 of lost revenue for the golf course just in one day.

At my course, we have a 24-hour policy (which is actually more like an 18-hour policy). When someone calls me at 9 AM on a Saturday and wants to cancel their 10:24 tee time, you bet I am charging them. There have probably been 20 other foursomes who have called in the last few days that would have taken that spot and paid a premium for it.

Call at 9 AM on a Saturday and cancel your 10:24 at a city course, no problem! The tee time usually just goes unused. That could be thousands of dollars a weekend the city is missing out on (I don't know, I don't know their cancellation numbers). If they went to a 24-hour (or even 12-hour) policy they at least have a chance of filling those tee times.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by malcolmk14

24 hour policy at least gives the golf course a chance to fill the spot. Say two foursomes a day cancel their tee time one hour out and the spots aren't filled, that is around $500 of lost revenue for the golf course just in one day.

At my course, we have a 24-hour policy (which is actually more like an 18-hour policy). When someone calls me at 9 AM on a Saturday and wants to cancel their 10:24 tee time, you bet I am charging them. There have probably been 20 other foursomes who have called in the last few days that would have taken that spot and paid a premium for it.

Call at 9 AM on a Saturday and cancel your 10:24 at a city course, no problem! The tee time usually just goes unused. That could be thousands of dollars a weekend the city is missing out on (I don't know, I don't know their cancellation numbers). If they went to a 24-hour (or even 12-hour) policy they at least have a chance of filling those tee times.

Have to disagree with the tee time going unused. I golfed Maple Ridge for a number of years and it was the way I used to get a tee time before they went to a online booking system. Even today when I play a round on a weekend (a break from my own course) I always check the wait list and find there's usually more than 10 gofers waiting at any time. I would think that if the times were going unused the city would alter it's policy.

[Kybosh]

Originally Posted by Dion

Have to disagree with the tee time going unused. I golfed Maple Ridge for a number of years and it was the way I used to get a tee time before they went to a online booking system. Even today when I play a round on a weekend (a break from my own course) I always check the wait list and find there's usually more than 10 gofers waiting at any time. I would think that if the times were going unused the city would alter it's policy.

This is what I mean. The courses are PACKED and cancelled tee times always seem to get filled. Why aren't they profitable? Is the woman selling me a hotdog pulling in $100k+ a year in wages? As far as I can tell, they never do any maintenance aside from the bare minimum on any course other than Maple.

[DuffMan]

I wonder if they pay property taxes like other golf courses within city limits.

I fail to see how they could lose money also.

I think they need to be audited.

[HOOT]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

This is what I mean. The courses are PACKED and cancelled tee times always seem to get filled. Why aren't they profitable? Is the woman selling me a hotdog pulling in $100k+ a year in wages? As far as I can tell, they never do any maintenance aside from the bare minimum on any course other than Maple.

I think you would be shocked at the cost to maintain a golf course, even one as simple as this. Even more so when you have union employees, having to maintain the course all year, yet can't take green fees 5-6 months a year.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Kybosh

This is what I mean. The courses are PACKED and cancelled tee times always seem to get filled. Why aren't they profitable? Is the woman selling me a hotdog pulling in $100k+ a year in wages? As far as I can tell, they never do any maintenance aside from the bare minimum on any course other than Maple.

Paying union wages puts the city at a huge disadvantage when it comes to generating revenues. I don't know of any courses beside the city ones that have unionised staff.

Maple Ridge has a snack shack on hole 13 that is never open - lost money there when people wait for the backlog of golfers to clear. You also rarely see someone driving around in cart selling beer, snacks and soda.

[thatguy]

I use city courses for 9 hole beer rounds on a fri or sat night. Sometimes i can finish 2-3 beers on a single tee box while waiting.

[Fire]

Originally Posted by Bigtime

You can still get that experience with the front 9 at Fox Hollow.

I wear a motorcycle helmet for the front nine at that place.

[TurnedTheCorner]

Originally Posted by I-Hate-Hulse

I'm tired of the War on Golf in this City.

Is that the war that takes place when people are done fighting The War On Christmas for the season?

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by TurnedTheCorner

Is that the war that takes place when people are done fighting The War On Christmas for the season?

It's the golf war.

[Frank MetaMusil]

Originally Posted by Dion

The only city course worth keeping open is Maple Ridge.

I've got nostalgia for Lakeview. Is it even still open? Had my first and only hole in one there at age 13.

[Roughneck]

Originally Posted by DuffMan

I wonder if they pay property taxes like other golf courses within city limits.

I fail to see how they could lose money also.

I think they need to be audited.

Their operating costs are ridiculous, much higher than courses which don't have to pay their employees union wages (not to mention benefits, match pension contributions etc.). I have no doubt that McCall Lake would be a profitable course (along with the other city courses) by being sold to private owners without having to increase green fees.

They charge the same as the likes of Heather Glen, Fox Hollow and Harvest Hills but have to pay their staff more than the courses with $75,000-$100,000 entrance fees (or $100+ a round) ever would.

[Dion]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

I've got nostalgia for Lakeview. Is it even still open? Had my first and only hole in one there at age 13.

Still open. Played my first round of golf there.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by Frank MetaMusil

I've got nostalgia for Lakeview. Is it even still open? Had my first and only hole in one there at age 13.

I used to live right near there and also had buddy that lived right up the street. We spent many a night wandering around there drinking beer and playing golf. We didn't even play the holes in order, just whatever was open.

I think I played one of my first games ever at Shag. and then probably about the next 90 out of 100 there. That place was always busy.

[I-Hate-Hulse]

Where else will the Korean golfers of Calgary golf now? They owned that place.

[DuffMan]

Originally Posted by fotze

Hop over the fence to the Westgate Beer store?

plenty. So funny walking around in there, with the metal spikes clicking on the floor. and wearing a white glove on one hand, buying beer.