Who REALLY Own the Golf Courses?
In America, we dedicate some of our most expansive and beautiful tracks of land to golf courses. In some cases, this can be big business, so it follows that companies would want to have a leading interest in those properties. A number of major companies own a huge number of golf courses in the US. Who are they and what are they all about?
The United States Military
One of the biggest owners of golf courses in the United States is an entity you might not have expected to see on this list. The US military operates more than 250 golf courses around the country. These are courses typically built into military bases, designed to both generate revenue and provide military personnel with an opportunity to play a round quickly on their down time.
ClubCorp
In the business of not only owning, but also operating private country clubs, ClubCorp is located in Dallas, Texas. It is the largest owner and operator of private country clubs in the United States, owning or operating more than 150 courses in all. With these courses, the company provides services to almost 400,000 members in total. The company has been integral in not only owning, but also re-vamping a number of its courses. It is so dedicated that it hired Jack Nicklaus to re-design 36 of its courses during the late 1990s, allowing the legend to create new greens and generally improve its properties.
Heritage Golf Group
While the company has been struggling some over the last decade, Heritage Golf Group is a major owner of courses and clubs around the country. The group owns courses in Texas, Florida, and South Carolina, and it manages courses in other parts of the country. Known for its creative designs and high-end management, the group has created unique golf venues in places like Charleston and Houston.
References
Germano, Sara. “ClubCorp to Buy Rival Sequoia Golf.” The Wall Street Journal. http://online.wsj.com/articles/clubcorp-to-buy-rival-sequoia-golf-1407975275
Holland, David R. “On the Road: God Bless America’s Military Golf Courses.” TravelGolf. http://www.travelgolf.com/departments/travelfeatures/ontheroad/military-golf-courses.htm
Max, Sarah. “Investors are Buying Troubled Golf Courses and Giving them Makeovers.” New York Times. http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/07/07/investors-are-buying-troubled-golf-courses-and-giving-them-makeovers/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
