FAIRHOPE – With golf failing to attract younger players, Fairhope officials are looking for ways to draw new generations to the city-owned Quail Creek Golf Course.
One proposal recommended to the City Council at the March 13 work session was to open a new three-hole short course that would allow faster play and the area’s first night-golf program.
Lynn Maser, Fairhope special projects director, said participation at Quail Creek reflects national trends.
“We had 443 passholders, 27 of whom are not seniors,” Maser said. “This is a statistic that’s fairly typical of the industry today.”
She said younger residents find golf takes too long, has too many rules and is too traditional.
“These are generations who want things to happen fast, who want to have fun. Now you have an industry that is trying to attract non-traditional generations to a game that is all about traditions and that’s tough,” she said. “So how do we attract a demographic that prefers informality, wants things to happen quickly and craves variety in entertainment, everything that golf is not?”
Fairhope owns a parcel of property next to the Quail Creek course that could be used to build a facility that could increase business for the course and interest in the game, Maser said.
“We own land that we are not using yet we are spending over $16,000 a year to maintain it and we’re getting absolutely nothing for it,” Maser said.
The proposal calls for three short holes to be built on a 100-yard by 100-yard parcel.
Play would run counterclockwise with the first hole about 70 yards, the second about 90 and the third hole 70 to 80 yards, Jeff Weeks, Quail Creek professional, said.
Nets would be set up to protect vehicles and pedestrians on Quail Creek Drive from stray shots.
Weeks said construction costs and supplies for the course would be about $60,444. Annual expenses would be $10,100 leaving a profit of $69,850.
“There’s nothing like it in the area,” Weeks said. “If you’re brand new and you want to learn how to play golf, a golf course can be a little intimidating. So, for children to go on a golf course at any time of day with better players breathing down their necks right behind them, it can be tough.”
Mayor Karin Wilson said the money to build the course could be well spent.
“It’s basically a small investment into getting people interested, otherwise our golf course could be obsolete,” Wilson said.
Some council members expressed doubts about the plan, however.
“I like the concept, but I’m going to guess that the numbers are probably optimistic,” Councilman Jimmy Conyers said. “It’s probably going to cost more to get it put in. It’s probably not going to make as much money as you’d think, and it’d probably cost more to maintain.”
Councilman Robert Brown said the money could be better spent on sports that are more in demand.
“I understand you’re trying to grow the game to support the course but we don’t know what that outcome’s going to be,” Brown said. “I like the concept, but I think trying to fit three holes on that little parcel might a little much.”
