I saw this article today in Australian Paper - https://www.news.com.au/technology/innovation/half-of-the-moore-park-golf-course-will-be-scrapped-as-80000-residents-are-expected-to-occupy-the-area-by-2040/news-story/c8cc5e7fc35bff012d081cb7804c0fc3
So I did a bit of research and it turns out this is becoming quite common.
- In the US, some cities are turning golf courses into parks and housing to address the land shortages and environmental issues. For example, in Denver, Colorado, a former golf course is being transformed into a 155-acre park with trails, ponds, and wildlife habitats. In Houston, Texas, a 200-acre golf course is being redeveloped into a mixed-use community with affordable housing, retail, and office space.
- In Australia, some golf courses are facing land use regulatory hurdles from local governments and residents who oppose their redevelopment. For instance, in Sydney, New South Wales, a proposal to rezone a 52-hectare golf course for residential and commercial use was rejected by the state government after strong opposition from the local council and community groups. In Adelaide, South Australia, a plan to convert a 60-hectare golf course into a housing estate was challenged by the local council in court.
- In Florida, some golf courses are being repurposed for conservation and recreation purposes. For example, in Palm Beach County, a 27-hole golf course was purchased by the county and turned into a natural area with hiking trails, boardwalks, and observation platforms. In Sarasota County, a 18-hole golf course was acquired by the county and converted into a park with playgrounds, picnic areas, and fitness stations.
- In London, a study suggested that golf courses on public land could provide homes for 300,000 people, as well as other uses such as allotments, sports facilities, or urban farms.
- In Scotland, a former golf course in Edinburgh was turned into a nature reserve with wetlands, woodlands, and meadows.
- In Wales, a golf course in Cardiff was sold to a developer who plans to build 2,000 homes and a school on the site.
- In Ohio, the Ohio History Connection took Moundbuilders Country Club by eminent domain to transform the golf course property, which includes the Newark Earthworks’ Octagon Mounds, into a public park
Of course. Get it?
Anyway, as someone who doesn't golf, I have always thought golf courses take up a lot of space for what they do, and are a bit extravagant. But, not being a dirty fucking commie, I'm not going to tell other people what to do with their land, and lots of people like to golf. Doesn't matter if I think it's a waste of space, I'm not the target audience and, more importantly, it's not my space. Golf on, brothers.
Same. I only get annoyed when private courses get the support of local authorities and public funds are used to siphon water away from residences, raising costs for everyone - in some drought-zones it's stealing a limited resource. I get just as annoyed at taxes going to sportsball stadiums but at least those serve more people.
In fact I think something exactly like that had been happening in Hawaii where they had those fires.
Agreed, fuck that. If you want a golf course, I have no problem with that...but don't try to make me pay for it.
Sports stadiums serve nobody except their owners, they're open air prisons where food and hydration cost an extortionate amount and everyone is bombarded with advertisements.
The thing is, a lot of the time these golf courses started out being out in the boonies then the city grew around it and people whine about it because they're whiny little pissants.
Same boat. Also, the London proposal of possibly redeveloping a golf course into... sports facilities? You're kidding me, right?
Pfft.
You and I both know that if the British government seizes golf courses, they're going to be used for racks upon racks of pods to store more immigrant population in.
True that. The alternative suggestions are just to mask the obvious en masse projects.
I'll take the opposite approach and say that golf courses often take up prime real estate to squirrel it away for the upper class and will take a disproportionate amount of resources and focus from local politics and taxes to keep them well taken care of and happy.
Because that's when it ceases to be "telling people what to do with their land." When your local government begins project after project to beautify everything near the golf course, while leaving the rest of the town decaying. I live in a town with plural of them. They exist entirely for rich out of townies to use on their vacations, while we get taxed to keep them pretty for when they return.
There is a long valley between "commie who wants to take everything" and "just let the corporations and the uber rich destroy everything for their hedonism."
I already said I'm opposed to taxes going to them. If they can't exist on their own merits, they shouldn't. If they can, I don't care.
But that's the thing. Many cannot. They require the local area be beholden to their needs to bring in the necessary clientele to justify the massive space and overhead to maintain such a field. Not even just taxes, but huge swaths of space and considerations for their needs above the nearby populace.
I get your stance, but its the same as being "fine with single mothers if they don't use welfare or alimony." Possible and commendable if so, but not worth consideration for the discussion due to its rarity.
If the land is so valuable, why aren't they selling it? Or is running a golf course a more profitable use of the land?
You can make anything profitable when your private business gets government projects and kickbacks to offset the costs of its operation and force the town around your land that you do not own to beautify itself.
Also, value has more meanings than purely monetary. Such as extremely limited space due to actual unbuildable land in mountains or swamps surrounding the town.
And any golf course that falls into that category is in no danger of being snatched away from those upper class patrons.
The only golf courses that will be repurposed like this are the ones that charge a measly $50/round that the plebs can afford to play a few times per year.
Believe it or not, regular schmucks like you and I can and do play golf.
Your joke seemed on par. I hope it doesn't drive a wedge in the sand trap of politics.
There's a lot of places you can build housing, or parks. Any shortage of land is entirely "self"-imposed (I shudder to refer to the government as a "self").
But not a lot of places you can build golf courses due to the designs and features of the layouts themselves. Adding stuff that isn't already on the terrain is $$$$, so it makes sense to pick a location that gets you as close as possible to the designer's intent.
Of course, the old divisions are here in force. Golf is seen as a rich man's game so fuck the rich, no golf for them. With the exception of one hooker lovin' mutt the media couldn't stop creaming their pants over, the sport is absolutely dominated by white men with the drive and discipline to get good at it. Which I guess makes sense because whites invented it, so, fuck YT no golf for them.
Funny how they never talk about BLM (Bureau of Land Management) giving up worthless land to something someone might actually get use out of. They never talk about giving stadiums back to the public even though public funds were used to build those temples to worship sportsball. They never talk about converting hundred acre Democrat palaces into housing.
You'd think the Golf Courses would be coming up with dual-use plans so that people can still play golf but visitors should be able to just walk the paths. I guess its because of the liability issues for being hit by a golf ball, but I know some courses that could easily be both a gold course and a park. Maybe 5 days golf 2 days park? Anyway it seems there would be other solutions than just completely throwing the baby out with the bath water. I know many old people who play golf because they can use it to stay fit without running around.
The plan is prob as govt snatches up these courses, eventually it'll be owned by Blackrock/Vanguard. 5-10 years from now (maybe... 2030 gasp) these cities will sell to 'create equity for marginalized inner city trans youths who are at risk for self harm due to colonization' or some excuse, but really just unloading these huge swaths of land to corporate overlords for budget prices. 15 minute cities goooooooooo!
code for negros
Also part of the gay commie quest to destroy anything associated with White culture.
RIP to the housing prices of anything around that ex golf course. It'll be a rotten ghetto in a few short years, all at the expense of the taxpayer
To be fair, golfing is a sport that became popular due to the rise of the middle class and is associated heavily with upper middle WASPs (hence the outfits). As the middle dies, America becomes poorer and those of European descent get replaced by those of Latin, African or Muslim descent the sport will die as well.
George Carlin's dream is finally becoming reality. 😂
Good. Golf courses attract New Yorkers and other pest species.
there goes the neighborhood.
I have no problem with returning golf courses to the wild. Or at least parks and "conservation areas".
Several golf courses around here have closed over the years as their Boomer clientele dies off and the younger generation is too broke to replace them.
it makes sense in cities where the golf courses aren't being used, especially if they aren't generating enough cash for their operating costs and property taxes.
I think economics should be allowed to play its role in the viability of any enterprise. So if the golf course can't make a profit well then yes it will have to sell and be repurposed but where the Golf Courses make good money they should be left alone. I live in an area that has about 5 golf courses and all are well utilised but my family and I actually use them more for their restaurant facilities than actual golf.
Golf courses are a waste of space that could be used for gun ranges.
You can fit a gun range on a single par 4 hole
Water is a subsidised resource that is becoming more and more scarce, it should be used only for human consumption, including cleaning, industry, etc, and agriculture, golf courses need to reinvent themselves and golf on sand or concrete or foam, something that will not take away water during droughts.
depends on the city - there's plenty of places with abundant water
Do humanity a favor and give the rest of us your water ration