Weather worse than economy for golf

By Ken MacLeod

Golf has proven it can weather an economic storm. Real storms have a more dire effect.

The poor economy was a topic of much conversation throughout last summer, but public course rounds in the Tulsa area were flat or slightly ahead in many cases through September.

The weather turned hostile in October and public courses have been reeling since.

Typically a strong month for rounds in this area, October was the second coldest on record in Oklahoma and many parts of the state endured up to 21 days of precipitation. Rounds plummeted and - after a brief respite in early November - have been falling since.

Average temperatures in December were more than five degrees below normal and 2.7 degrees below normal in January, according to the National Weather Service. There were 10 days in December and 11 in January in which the high temperature exceeded 50 degrees, but on many of those days there was still snow on the ground or courses were closed from being too soggy.

At Bailey Ranch in Owasso, Director of Golf Corey Burd counts an open day as one in which 15 or more rounds are played, factoring in there are a few diehards who will play in about any conditions. The course was then "open" six days in December, nine days in January and four days in February through the 24th. There were 751 rounds played during that time compared to 2,045 a year ago and 3,066 as recently as 2006.

"Easily the worst stretch I've gone through since I came here in 1999," Burd said.

At LaFortune Park in Tulsa, the rounds were off by 1,317 in December and 1,386 in January compared to their six-year averages. By Feb. 24, there were 489 rounds played this month compared to the six-year average for February of 2,626.

The 751 rounds played in January is down from a high of 3,783 in 2006 and the next lowest was 1,667 in 2005. The 751 this decade exceeds only 2003, when the championship course was closed for renovation and the par-3 course did 715 rounds.

"It's really been tough," said Pat McCrate, director of golf over both Tulsa County courses LaFortune Park and South Lakes. "Everything is driven by rounds. When this happens, you've got only 25 percent of the people in the pro shop (to buy equipment or apparel) that you normally would. Nobody is hitting range balls or practicing on the greens."

McCrate is responsible for the pro shop staff and starters at both courses while Richard Bales, Tulsa County Parks Director, is responsible for the maintenance crews and restaurant workers at both facilities. Both have done what they can to cut expenses and it's helped somewhat that the restaurant at LaFortune Park has been closed as part of a clubhouse renovation due to reopen in March.

However, while some facilities trim down to a skeletal staff in extended bad weather, McCrate employs teaching professionals that can't be turned loose and then expected to return. It's part of what separates LaFortune Park from the competition in good times, but can be a burden in bad.

"I'm a believer in a professional teaching staff and you just can't lay them off," McCrate said. "We did have a lot to do this winter because of the move. But we need a great run of nice weather starting now.

"Hopefully there will be a pent-up demand and people will be ready to get out and play."

The weather throughout 2009 was not ideal for golf courses. Even though it was relatively mild in July and August, there were many weekends lost to rain. It was a better year for the superintendents, who benefited from the extra moisture, than it was for the pros.

"We were well into the season last year before we had a Friday through Sunday of good weather," McCrate said. "Our ladies association lost more than half of its 34 play dates last year to weather. It was just an oddball year."

Bales said the county park budget is down approximately $250,000 for the fiscal year which began July 1 compared to the previous year. While some of that revenue comes from shelter reservations, tennis fees and building rentals, the vast majority is generated by golf. Maintenance supplies such as chemicals and fertilizers plus new equipment purchases and maintenance of old equipment are the first areas to be looked at when there is a shortfall.

Forest Ridge in Broken Arrow, which locally provides the best conditions for winter play through its rye grass overseeding program, was down 1,700 rounds for 2010 compared to 2009 through late February.

In Oklahoma City, there have been more playable days than in Tulsa, but rounds are still off considerably.

At the 36-hole Lincoln Park facility, December rounds were 1,935 compared to an average of 3,100, January was 2,455 compared to 3,500 and February was 1,376 through Feb. 25 compared to an average for the month of just over 5,000.

Director of Golf Steve Carson has been forced to layoff or reduce hours for nearly all of his pro shop and maintenance crews.

"Only one guy on the maintenance crew is salaried and every one else is hourly," he said. "When we're not open, we send them home early. Same in the pro shop. Our people understand if they're an hourly employee and we have no people out here, they don't work."

Carson said several projects planned for this winter, including improvements to the parking lot, water stations and bathrooms, were put on hold due to lack of funds.

Like all pros in the area, Carson is hoping for an extended run of golf playable days this spring.

"We figured out that the economy was having a minimal affect, maybe three percent," Carson said. "But the weather, that really affects your bottom line. There just wasn't much happening out there for an extended period."

For those who put much stock in long-range forecasts, there seems to be consensus this spring will be cooler and wetter than normal. The 10-day forecast in northeast Oklahoma calls for a good measure of sunny days with highs in the 50s.