How is managing a public golf course differ from that of a private/country club course?

domsdabomb33: How is managing a public golf course differ from that of a private/country club course?
What more responsiblities does someone managing a public golf course have to take on?
How much more marketing costs are incurred by a public golf course?Why?

Answers and Views:

Answer by Spartawo…
The first big differences between the two is that public golf course allows the regular public – whether beginner or intermediate to play. The country club has membership only and the management has to cater to that clientele. Public course need more security and greens care also the amount of players is greater than the country club trade.
Spartawo…

Answer by aggieband
Interesting question… lots of areas to cover. First, generally (especially in this economy), public courses struggle due to a lack of funds. Actually, there are two types of ‘public’ courses; municipal courses, owned and operated by a governmental entity (city, county, state) and ‘daily fee’ courses, which are privately owned, publicly accessible for-profit businesses. Daily fee courses are usually nicer, almost country club quality, and can charge a lot more per round.

Municipal courses are intended to allow the average man-on-the-street, youths and beginners a place to play at an affordable price. They typically charge a small green fee and make most of their income from cart rentals, driving range fees and the concession stand/restaurant. It is difficult to maintain municipal courses in good repair because maintenance budgets are small and fixed and the staff is tiny. Even watering can be too expensive during summer droughts and many courses have to close several days a week during hot weather to prevent damage to the grass, especially the greens.

Daily fee courses have corporate backing, charge higher fees and like any business, have to offer a quality product in order to continue attracting customers. They usually have larger staffs, often have agronomists or turf grass experts either on the local staff or from the corporate office and arrange to purchase semi-treated water from sewage treatment plants or other sources to provide a constant source of water during dry weather. Generally, the players who frequent daily fee courses are a little better than those who settle for munis and take better care of the course; repairing ball marks on greens, raking the bunkers, replacing divots, exercising proper golf etiquette.

Country clubs are most often equity organizations who not only have a tremendous cash flow from initiation fees and monthly dues, but also can assess a charge to the members when the course needs major renovation or repairs. Money is generally no object for country clubs who can borrow money using their members’ equity, assess the members when required, and in some cases, when in need of a rapid source of cash, country clubs occasionally offer a set number of ‘discounted’ memberships to attract people who would not normally be able to afford to join in order to get those initiation fees in lieu of assessing existing members.

Sometimes, municipal courses have some pretty highly qualified staff. When I lived in Clear Lake City, near Houston, back in the 80s, the Texas City municipal course (Bayou Golf Club) had a pro named Butch Harmon; taking money, collecting balls on the range and giving the occasional lesson. His wife and daughter ran the snack bar. Of course, he later bacame the personal coach to Tiger Woods, Phil Mickleson and others.