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Home > Blogs > Hamilton News and Issues > Archives > 2008 > April > 04 > Entry
Fore!
“Golf is like a love affair. If you don’t take it seriously, it’s no fun; if you do take it seriously, it breaks your heart.” ~Arnold Daly, American actor.
Hamilton’s love affair with golf hasn’t been pretty in some time. In the 1990s, the city was privileged to own two golf courses and each enjoyed vast crowds. Then, Tiger Woods came along and everyone started picking up the sport. Consequently, more golf courses started being built. As the golf market reached saturation, the terrorist attacks of Sept. 11, 2001, jolted the economy and many people stopped golfing. The result: the city owns two golf courses that have lost more than a quarter million dollars in the past few years.
The problem isn’t limited to Hamilton, but nationwide. Take Brownsville, Texas or Prineville, Or. for instance.
In the effort to get course revenue back to the black, the city has cut a $70,000-a-year management position, raised green fees and will not give any new retired employees free golf.
But as Parks and Recreation Director Bob Harris put it, there’s a good story coming from the golf courses for a change. The city will soon take part in the national First Tee program
The program won’t solve the city’s golf woes, but it will teach values to a group of kids using the game of golf. If it gets the city a few more golfers, Harris said that’s great, but not the main goal.
As he puts it, “It’s going to help improve the image of both golf courses.”
A full story about the First Tee program in Hamilton is coming soon.
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