A retirement golf community: That’s Sun City, Arizona

Interesting comments Larry and as Tom noted, no one, NO ONE, has said we are in "dire straights." We are at a point where the fluff of running an organization the size of ours, and that relies on a single person and a handful of rubber stampers, is one destined to fail. It was folly the day it began and some 17 years later, the shortcomings of how we have been managed has now come home to roost.

I've written this a hundred times over the years; while serving on the board (2012-2014) i grew rapidly frustrated by a process that was self-contained and had little opportunity for any real discussion or debate. Of the 9 board members, 6 were avid golfers, many of them purchased the full play pass. When the GM made golf her singular vision for Sun City future, i asked one question that had i been hoping they could answer. They still haven't.

The data from golf showed declining numbers (2012) and yet she committed to major (6 million dollars each) renovations (North and River View and 10 million plus at the two Willows) plus tons of minor (in the millions) of other course improvements. The courses needed upgrades in water distribution, wells and irrigation. Looking at the PIF expenditures and knowing that much money was going to be dedicated to golf, i asked what was the plan to market our golf courses to new home buyers? We had none. That was foolish. I've always loved the idea members could play a different course every day and never leave the community or even have to climb in the car to do it. I suggested marketing the community that way would only enhance the numbers of players we had. It went nowhere. Think about the potential using social media and how cheap that could have been done.

Now the challenge is we have built a structure around cheap golf and the courses have been beat to shit by too much play and golfers who have no stake in replacing divots, raking sand traps and driving golf cars wherever they want. Because the entire premise was built around "cheap," we have non-competitive wages for grounds workers and equipment that is nearly worthless. The capital budgets i have in hand from 2011-2021 showed a $500,000 capital investment in new golf equipment every year. Apparently, that like so many other numbers were just "saved" in an effort to build carry forward amounts. Utterly crazy.

I'm one of those odd ducks who reads the yearly PGA report they provide the RCSC. One of their comments this year was how much maintenance the old golf equipment needed because it was past it's "useful life." Using sub-par equipment is a losing proposition as once golf course quality slips, getting it back only magnifies the work and the costs. One final comment; the golfers who were on the board with me would have killed before they let non-residents take members tee times. While some argue it's only 12000-13,000 rounds a year, it is rounds that members should have first right to. It shouldn't even be a discussion that's on the table.