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.