Why the COVID lockdown was the greatest thing for Palm Beach County-owned golf courses

Local golfers are not the only ones seeing green in Palm Beach County Golf courses these days. Taxpayers are seeing green as well.

The Palm Beach Post analyzed data provided by the county’s Parks and Recreation Department related to the cost of operating its four courses — Osprey Point, Okeeheelee, Park Ridge and Southwinds — along with the John Prince Park Golf Learning Center, and the results came back significantly better than just par for the courses.

After factoring in operating expenses and more than $16 million in improvements made from 2019 to 2023, county courses still generated a profit of $5.7 million. And the best news — county taxpayers have never had to subsidize operations or improvements, and it does not appear they will have to anytime soon.

In 2023, the four Palm Beach County-owned courses and the learning facility generated a record $16.1 million in revenue, a 47% increase from 2019, more than enough to cover operating costs and improvements.

“They (Palm Beach County) seem to be doing things right,” said Richard Singer, director of consulting services for the Jupiter-based National Golf Foundation. “The numbers are impressive. Golf has strongly rebounded from the pre-COVID years. It has been a rollercoaster for golf course operators, but the situation could change very quickly. For now, Palm Beach County is meeting a demand by improving its product.”

The courses in Palm Beach County used to always lose money in the summer when snowbirds head north to escape the heat. And for those who stay, many find it too uncomfortable to golf with seemingly daily afternoon rain and lightning events. But in 2023, after operating expenses, the courses generated an operating profit of $103,000 from May to September. In 2018, they lost more than $2.4 million during those same months.

What's driving the increased use of Palm Beach County-owned golf courses?

County Commissioner Maria Marino, a former professional golfer, said the county golf operations provide a service by allowing for golf at an affordable price on courses that are vey well-run and -maintained. "The fact that they can do that and pay for improvements without using county funds is very positive, as that is not the case with many publicly run courses," she added.

The county courses have benefitted from the closing of several courses whose land was bought by developers. The same situation happened in nearby Broward County, resulting in some of those golfers playing in Palm Beach County.

The Reason Foundation reported in 2020 that 155 of 221 public golf courses it surveyed lost money, and five lost more than $2 million. It acknowledged that the numbers might have been skewed because of the COVID-19 lockdowns. But even in 2020, Palm Beach County golf courses realized an operating profit of more than $2 million. Those courses were also shut down for a period of time.

USA Today reported in 2018 that publicly operated golf courses in Florida lost more than $100 million from 2013 to 2018. Delray Beach, unwilling to invest $10 million to upgrade its municipal course, is considering a plan to sell off some of the land to a developer to fund the improvements.

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Eric Rein, who oversees the golf program for the county, believes COVID played a role. “People wanted to get outside and exercise, and golf gave them that opportunity."

John Prince, ranked among the top stand-alone driving ranges by the Golf Range Association of America, features more than 16,000 square feet of practice putting and chipping greens. Staffed by top-ranked LPGA and PGA instructors, it is a place where people can learn to golf.

In 2020, the year of the COVID shutdown, the practice facility generated $799,300 in revenue. In 2021, the figure jumped to a record $1.4 million, demonstrating COVID may have created a new set of golfers.

The county expects to renovate the greens at Southwinds next summer, which will result in the course being closed for about six months. A new Learning Center/Teaching Center is expected to be built at Osprey Point in 2026.

Here's a breakdown of the figures for the county-owned courses:

• Osprey Point. In 2023, it generated over $5.5 million in revenue and had more than 105,000 rounds played on its three nine-hole courses. That represents a 36% increase in revenue and a 6% increase in rounds played from 2019 to 2023. The course has been certified as an Audubon International Classic Signature Golf Course, and serves as the home course for Florida Atlantic University.

• Okeeheelee, the second most-used course, registered the largest percentage increase from 2019 to 2023 in revenue, 64%. It has three nine-hole courses that can be played in multiple 18-hole combinations. Each hole has five sets of tees. At 26%, it also experienced the county’s largest percentage increase in rounds played from 2019 to 2023.

• Southwinds offers a serene setting with water on nearly every hole. It has been certified as an Audubon International Cooperative Sanctuary. Southwinds recently installed bee boxes, which will produce honey for use in the snack bar area.

• Park Ridge, which opened in 2007, is one of the more unique courses in South Florida. Built on a retired landfill, its highest point tops 85 feet. More than 645,000 cubic yards of fill were brought in to create contours and cover the specialized irrigation system. The course, which just completed a recent $1.7 million makeover, has seen a 46% increase in operating revenue and an 11% increase in rounds played from 2019 to 2023.

“It is my favorite course,” said Arthur Horowitz of Boynton Beach, a longtime resident of South Florida. “I really enjoy the elevation changes. They present challenges that you don’t see anywhere else." The Parks and Recreation Department invested nearly $2 million to upgrade the course, and the improvement was funded, like others, through golf course revenues.

Has the golf-course operation become a victim of its own success?

But what's good for the game isn't necessarily good for the golfers.

It is difficult to get tee times at all four county courses. Golfers with a frequent-player card can log in 10 days before to get their desired tee time. The log in starts at 6 a.m., but typically within minutes, all of the morning times are taken.

A golfer with a frequent-player card can play in the morning for $90 during the winter at Osprey Point. During the summer, the fee drops to $45. "We combine great golf course conditions with affordable greens fees so the public responds to that, making demand high. Yes tee times are tough to get, so we continue to look for ways to improve access," Rein said.

Bob Furnas and two friends get up at dawn to try to get early morning play at Osprey Point.

"Even with the three of us logging in, we often get shut out." He is also upset with the county scheduling junior tournaments during morning hours in the winter, which forces year-round county residents like him to play in the afternoon. "It is just not right," he told The Post.

Jacob Henson, an assistant manager at Osprey Point, said it is a matter of supply and demand. There are only so many tee times available, he noted, adding: "There is not much we can do about it."

Rein acknowledged that junior tournaments hosted by the South Florida PGA, US Kids, and other junior golf associations are held at the county courses. He said attempts are made to schedule the tournaments outside of the prime tee times; however, that isn’t always possible. Rein noted that tournaments are never scheduled on the same day at all four courses.

"We are committed to growing the game of golf and that includes providing a golf course for kids to learn and play in competitive golf tournaments," Rein said, defending the scheduling of the junior tournaments.

Mike Diamond is a journalist at The Palm Beach Post, part of the USA TODAY Florida Network. He covers Palm Beach County government and transportation. You can reach him at mdiamond@pbpost.com. Help support local journalism. Subscribe today.

This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: COVID was the greatest thing for Palm Beach County-owned golf courses