Golfers make their way through Kildonan Park Gol Course in Winnipeg, one of three municipal golf courses the city is thinking about selling.
If one over par is a bogey, what do you call it when you're over by millions?
The City of Winnipeg and municipalities across North America are considering selling off their public golf courses, faced with mounting losses, dwindling participation and stiff competition from the private sector.
Winnipeg City Council reviewed an audit of its golf courses Friday, which found they are $8-million in debt and losing more than $1-million a year. The report recommended selling three courses run by the city or turning them into parkland or real-estate developments.
Mayor Sam Katz said the time has come for the city to decide whether golf is considered a "core service."
"This is happening right across North America - there's just more courses than are required," Mr. Katz said. "You have to look at the opportunities and how you divest yourself."
His city is not the only one considering hanging up its clubs.
In Thunder Bay, city council will review a report on public golf courses on Monday night. London, Ont., was advised to close its public courses earlier this year, but opted to keep them open for one more season before making a decision.
In the United States, where the financial downturn has ushered in a steep decline in golf participation, cities from Santa Cruz, Calif. to Flint, Mich., are selling off their facilities.
According to the independent auditors who examined the finances of Winnipeg Golf Services, more than 70 U.S. municipalities were attempting to sell their golf courses in 2010.
"The costs are hugely significant," said Rebecca Johnson, a city councillor in Thunder Bay who supports selling the city's golf courses. "It's supposed to be an entrepreneurial endeavour that pays for itself."
City golf courses cost Thunder Bay $405,000 in 2010, and more than $1.25-million over the last eight years.
"Where do we stop?" asked Ms. Johnson. "You have to say to yourself at some point, 'Is this a business we need to be in?'"
For Iain Day, the acting COO of Winnipeg Golf Services, maintaining the courses as they are makes little business sense.
"We have to do something about the losses that we have," he said. "At this point, we need some political direction."
The supply of golf courses in Winnipeg outstrips the demand by 10 per cent, Mr. Day said, and the city-owned facilities are in need of significant upgrades. In 1998, city courses were used for 180,000 rounds of golf; by last year the number had dropped to 95,000.
Weather has been one factor. Flooding this year has kept two of the public courses closed. And the number of playable days each season has been shrinking consistently.
Because the courses are losing money, the city has not had the cash to adequately maintain greens and clubhouses. There are no in-house pros or driving ranges, and more people are opting to shell out for private green fees.
The city courses are in such dire shape that the audit recommended that the city lower the price per round to "reflect the experience being offered."
At Kildonan Park, one of the city-run courses, Jake Warkentin was playing his first round of the season on Thursday. In his 70s, Mr. Warkentin has been playing the course for years and is fond of its low price and proximity to downtown.
"I cannot see how they lost millions of dollars. Where did it go?" he asked.
He hopes the city opts to lease the course to a private operator, and said he would be willing to pay more per round to keep it open.
Scott Simmons, executive director of Golf Canada, said Canada has the highest number of golf courses per capita of any country in the world, and that even with high participation rates, supply outweighs demand.
But Mr. Simmons said the country is lacking accessible, affordable courses like those run by cities, which allow younger, more diverse players to explore the game.
"Even though we have an oversupply of courses, we're undersupplied at this level," he said. "Don't sell them to developers. I would cry."
Mr. Day said he is expecting a decision from Winnipeg City Council within the month. He would prefer to offer the courses on long-term leases to private operators, who could then invest their own money into upgrades.
Saskatoon and Regina have opted for this model in recent years, while Toronto contracts out the management of its municipal courses.
Getting rid of the courses altogether would be a bold move, he said, and would require a change of zoning that would have to be approved by two-thirds of city council. "I don't think too many cities have moved to selling green space," he said.