Michigan Golf Journal June 2019

When asked ‘what is the easiest part of owning a golf course’? Jeff Hoag, owner of Scott Lake Golf and Practice Center in Comstock Park says there simply isn’t an easy part. Veterans of this complex but rewarding business agree; times have changed. It’s not just how the customer experiences this multifaceted industry, but also how the owners and operators have needed to adjust. Fewer and fewer courses are being managed by the proprietor, especially non-family-owned properties, leaving the day to day decisions of the business left to non-vested staff. Yet when the golf course has positioned itself to be the hub of the community, it becomes easier to establish the needed relationship with locals. And then there is technology. Staying on top of technology and trends and making enough money to be able to make improvements don’t necessarily go hand in hand. The golf consumer today is used to making a deal, finding a deal. On-line booking services both direct from the golf course or from a third-party vendor have dramatically changed the way golfers purchase the product. “Before the immediacy of social media and tee- times at a click, people were easier to please,” says Kathy Aznavorian, owner of Fox Hills Golf and Banquet Center in The ‘Then and Now’ Perspective of the Seasoned Golf Course Owner By Kate Moore Fox Hills in Plymouth Michigan Golf Journal Golf Business