Managed to sneak in a quick 18 at my home course this afternoon up in the Green Bay Area. Push Cart Mafia baby
Played 18 today at the course I grew up on in Racine. There were a bit busier than I expected but everyone was keeping their distance. The bar closed because of the governorās orders right after we paid.
Where at?
The only place Iāve seen open So far is Ledgeview.
It was at Ledgeview. Iāve been playing there since I first learned the game and have worked there for the past six years or so.
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Nice!
Iām a member at Mid Vallee, and play quite a bit at St. Pats too.
Once things cooperate we should try get a round in.
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Was able to get 18 in yesterday also. Mid 40ās beautiful sunny day down in New Berlin, can only hope for more on those days to come.
I am in New Berlin also where did you get out to play.
Definitely!
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New Berlin Hills, i believe it was opening day for them yesterday
Hell yeah Ledgeview! I think I have spun it off the front of the 9th green like 1,000 times. Havenāt been able to play there in the summer when conditions are solid unfortunately, since Iām not in the area in summer months.
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Looks like The Bull is going to live on. One of my favorite courses so this is welcome news.
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siiiiiick
Iām glad they were able to reach a deal and keep the course open as I never like to see any golf course closeā¦ BUT there is a reason they were $4.2 million in the hole. If the new ownership maintains the business model and rate structure of the previous group, I am not convinced that new ownership alone will allow them to churn profit. Charging $150 for a round when they are so close to the Kohler courses is nonsensical. In my opinion, there is a very small population of golfers willing to spend over $100 for a single round of golf, and there are many other options within Wisconsin, both near and far, that offer a much better experience for around the same price that The Bull is charging. With the addition of Sand Valley, and the already proven thoroughbreds, Erin Hills, SentryWorld, and the Kohler courses, there has never been more competition for big-ticket golfers in the state. Frankly, if The Bull doesnāt drop rates and change their marketing strategy, it could be deja vu all over again in a few years.
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What can they do differently though to cut costs? Itās a over-the-top Nicklaus design that costs money to up keep.
The course is a midwestern 10 that walked into a NYC bar.
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I donāt know the full story here, but is/was the situation that the course initially took on too much debt and just couldnāt pay it down quick enough? Or was it that it was just straight up losing money left and right?
I donāt know exactly what happened financially but building that extravagant clubhouse couldnāt have helped. Itās also a very large piece of property with high maintenance costs. I think they built too much infrastructure right away rather than letting the course do the talking and expand from there. It was nearly foreclosed upon in 2011, so theyāve clearly been hurting for at least a decade.
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I think itās location is a bit of a tough shake as well. They built it a few years after Whistling opened up and probably thought they would draft off of the Kohler courses for traveling golfers but Kohler has four courses and a hotel(s) with dining/spa/etc that they can capture destination play much easier. And as anyone that has played the Kohler 4 can attest, once youāre done paying for those courses (and the American Club if youāre real lucky) itās hard to justify shelling out another $100+ in the area, especially for one without the pedigree of Blackwolf or the Straits. Just my 2 cents. Hope it remains open, but as said above, itās got to cost a fortune to maintain that property.
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Completely agree. Not enough pedigree to keep out of towners around for another day, and too expensive for the locals.
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I have heard that Jack Nicklaus Signature Design courses have contracts that mandate them to charge a certain price or lose that designation. Over the past few years with the rise of minimalism Nicklaus courses have lost a bit of prestige in my opinion. Hope the new owner can make it work, dump Nicklaus from their marketing strategy, reduce rates, and pump some rounds through.
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More people might go play it if it loses Nicklausā name. I personally love the course but will only play it if i see a deal for $50 or $60.
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