Trump's New York golf course is having business problems because people hate Donald Trump

[Yo_Mama_Been_Loggin]

When Donald Trump was still just that “asshole running for president” and not our embarrassment in chief, people began to point out how most of his businesses were just the result of a rigged real estate system. Like many one percenters’ achievements, these deals promoted corruption over merit and left the taxpayers fronting the bill. A prime example is Donald Trump’s Golf Links course at Ferry Point in New York City. 

Contrary to statements made by the Trump campaign during the Republican convention, the city, not Mr. Trump, built the golf course at Ferry Point, for $127 million. Four years ago, in a deal finalized under Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg’s administration, the Trump Organization came on board to operate the course, assume the expense of upkeep and build a $10 million clubhouse, yet to be erected.

Nevertheless, the greenway, maintained to luxurious standard, has the effect of abrading principle away. [...]
The structure of the deal the city forged with the Trump Organization at Ferry Point does not require it to remit licensing fees to the city until 2019, at which point the company will pay 7 percent of gross revenue (or $300,000, the cost of a well-appointed summer rental in Southampton, whichever is higher). In its first year of operation, according to the city, revenue totaled $8 million, meaning that if fees had been collected, the city would have received $560,000 — $175,000 short of what, in its contract with the Trump Organization, it projected it could make during the first year. Leaving that aside, even if the city were bringing in one million or even two million dollars annually from the partnership, we would still be looking well into the second term of a Barron Trump — or Barron Trump Jr. — presidency before the city would be getting back much of the $127 million of taxpayer money it spent to create the course in the first place.

https://www.dailykos.com/stories/2017/6/1/1667964/-Trump-s-New-York-golf-course-is-having-business-problems-because-people-hate-Donald-Trump

[golfguru]

1. Most golf courses are shrinking

I am an avid golfer since 1970. In the last 3-4 years, I have noticed it is much easier to get tee-off times compared to years gone by. Golf has gotten too expensive. A good driver costs $500+ and the whole set can easily cost $2500 with bag and cart and shoes etc. Green's fees are way more than just 10 years ago. And middle class has shrunk!

[MANative]

2. You're absolutely right. My brother works at the Titleist corporate office in MA

and he says they are not experiencing anything close to the kinds of revenues they had ten years ago. He says that their internal research shows that millennials are not taking up golf, citing student loan debt that severely limits their disposable income.

[Atman]

4. You don't need that kind of money.

Your handle says it all: "golfguru." You're obviously heavily invested in the game. But I'm willing to be your first entire set of clubs didn't even cost what you're quoting for a "good" driver. If you want to play, you can get a reasonable set of clubs, including a bag, for about $300 at a place like Dick's. Of course they're nothing that a pro or a golf guru would use, but a beginner doesn't have the skill to use that stuff anyway. I started playing when I was twelve, then let it go for awhile as I raised a family...it's tough to take most of day off to play while leaving mom home with the kids on a Saturday.

When I got back into it several years back I bought an off-the-rack set of clubs, and some decent quality balls. As I re-learned the game, I upgraded a club here and there, bought some needed accessories little by little. Yeah, I'm still what would be considered a hack, but I can keep it under a hundred for eighteen, and I enjoy myself. I live in CT, and there are plenty of high-end golf courses that would be happy to take a day's pay for a round, but I enjoy a great course about ten minutes from my house (there are three excellent courses with fifteen minutes). It was built as a PGA course in an attempt to lure The Greater Hartford Open. Didn't work, so now it's a fun, beautiful, fairly challenging public course. They never got around to building a fancy clubhouse, just a basic affair with a snack bar and cold beer and cocktails. But it only costs me $25 to play a quick eight -- with a golf cart. That's a great deal that I can fit into a mid-day schedule when I've got a couple of hours to kill.

It's sure a hell of a lot cheaper than my winter habit of snowboarding. The equipment cost me at least four times as much as what I spent on my golf gear, and a cheap mid-week lift ticket is a minimum of $50. Doesn't include gas and travel time -- pretty much an entire day.

Maybe in this day and age of video games and instant gratification, gold is just considered too boring. And too elitist.

[Awsi Dooger]

5. Too much time

That's the main issue, along with overly difficult. I agree the cost is not prohibitive. You can pick up great deals on recent model used clubs these days. It is a buyer's market on ebay. I gave up selling many years ago.

Millennials can't be bothered to invest 3-5 hours at something they probably suck at, especially when it distracts from tweeting and Facebooking.

Countless people watch golf on television and absurdly conclude it's nothing more than darts with a stick. Then they get out there and struggle to make contact.

Lots of proposals, like shortening number of holes to widening the cup itself. I don't think anything will fully succeed and I suspect the sport will continue to decline in popularity, similar to horse racing and boxing before it.

Sad for me because I have fewer options. Hispanics don't play golf so the trend impacts my home city of Miami even more than other areas. Numerous courses have closed. I'm just hoping my two current favorites can survive. I did catch a break last year when a very rich foreigner bought a course I play, mostly as a long term investment for his family. Supposedly he really doesn't care about the bottom line right now. They've actually made improvements that I don't see how they can justify, based on the dwindling number of golfers.

It will be interesting to see if televised golf is eventually influenced. Not so far. Advertisers galore. Every event is televised live, for dozens of hours each week. The majors are still top of the sports page.

With Doral kaput thanks to Trump I made the trip to Jacksonville and the Players Championship this year. On Friday there was literally a 4 mile bumper to bumper line on A1A to get into the parking area. You would never know golf was in trouble based on that event. People apparently still like to watch and yell and get drunk even if they don't pick up the sticks themselves.

[bhikkhu]

6. I loved to golf when I was younger

I could go out with my friends near sunrise or sundown and get in 9 holes for 50 cents. Or a buck twenty during the day, youth rates on the municipal course in California. The last time I golfed was in the Seattle area, where it was $25 for 18. I wasn't too bad, but I figured I'd have to golf a couple times a week to get much better. Which would have cost $200 a month - not workable. So I gave it up.

Nowadays I have more disposable cash, but I can't imagine blowing it on golf games and equipment instead of saving for retirement. People make their choices with what they have, and I don't see many non-wealthy people choosing to golf, as nice as it is.

[golfguru]

11. 90% of golfers can't break 90

and the reasons are many, but mainly it is lack of GOOD instructions and playing with lousy clubs. With my own customized clubs, I have broken my age of 77, but when I visit relatives in far away places and play with borrowed clubs, I can't break 85. Professional instruction did not help me. They make it too complicated for amateurs. My game took an upward leap after a wise old gentleman gave me just 2 tips....he changed my grip and showed me how to hit a draw.

[Atman]

15. I can't break 90 because I don't play enough.

When I went out once or twice a week my game progressed rapidly. As a youth I learned from pros -- the girl I wanted to date in Jr. High was the daughter of a prominent local surgeon, and I had to play golf with him before I could hang around with her, so I got some good instruction before I teed off.

Off course good clubs are going to make a difference. The first clubs I upgraded were my driver and putter. Helped a lot. But my point was, you don't NEED that to just have fun and enjoy the day with some friends. As with snowboarding, I know I'll never reach a professional level. I'm not trying to,and it shouldn't be the focus.

I wouldn't say golf is too hard. It's too frustrating. You can play for years and still suck. OTOH, I had advanced to black/double black diamonds in my second season snowboarding.

[golfguru]

18. After golfing for 55 years,

I have learned many things. After I quit memberships at private golf clubs (where one can play unlimited rounds for one flat monthly fee) I play only once or twice a month on public courses. The 15 years spent in private clubs was the most enjoyable time in my life. No crowds, no waiting, well maintained golf course, and daily game for a few dollars bet with a group of seniors.

Even though now I play only 1 or 2 rounds a month, I can easily break 85 every time. My secrets? 1. slow down swing to 60-70% of my fastest possible swing 2. keep looking at the spot where ball is for 3 seconds after hit is made 3. Use my own clubs, which are an assortment selected over many years, the most important club being the putter. I use an Odyssey putter which gives me incredible distance feel. On any putt over 5 feeet, my focus is on distance, and not trying to hole it.

Best luck with your golf games.

[Atman]

19. Sage advice.

Slowing down the swing, and eye on the ball -- once my my biggest downfalls. I know immediately when I'm "doing it wrong," but I've gotten much better in that regard. As a beginner, you think you need to whack the hell out of the ball to make it go really far, then you quickly look up to see where it's going -- usually in the water or the rough because you tried to whack the hell out it and looked up!

[Wellstone ruled]

3. So true,

we live in a Golf Community,and our operation has been a negative running enterprise for the few years. And again,the number of rounds played keep declining year over year. My hunch is we will have to replace the course with up scale homes.

It is a expensive hobby and young families can not afford the front end costs,much like parents with Hockey players and to that we know first hand.

[TlalocW]

7. I read an article on things that supposedly can be blamed on Millennials

Things like the napkin industry is having problems because Millennials think buying them AND paper towels is stupid. Purchases of engagement rings are down, and they're not taking up golf.

It seems to me that I was born a generation or two ahead of them because I'm not going to cry if any or all of those things disappear. I'm of George Carlin's mindset that golf courses should be given to the homeless.

Anyway, if Trump's golf course(s) over here aren't doing well, I wonder how the ones in Europe are doing?

TlalocW

[Atman]

16. That's funny.

The napkin thing, I mean. Our kids never have napkins at their house. I didn't get it, but you just explained it. They use paper towels -- which are much more expensive, which makes it even weirder.

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

17. This old boomer agrees with the millennials on one thing:

buying napkins AND paper towels is stupid. I suppose I could clean the windshield and check the oil with a napkin, but who needs anything that fancy.

I am, however, on this issue (and many others), outvoted in my household.

Maybe I'll just call for a tee time.

[D_Master81]

8. Golf is suffering

Golf is suffering from the demise of Tiger. Just like the NBA during the Jordan years, the entire sport of golf leaned almost entirely on Tiger. Once MJ left the NBA had a hole that took yrs to fill and popularity dropped dramatically. Kids today arent driven to golf by the golfers on tour today. There are alot of great players, but none of them have "IT" like Tiger did in his prime. I'm sure price has alot to do with it as well, but not having anyone to market the game to the younger generation is causing the game to be passed by by that gen

[Awsi Dooger]

9. Partially true in regard to Tiger

Golf peaked during his prime but it actually started to decline long before he faded. The participation numbers started to drop after 2003, while Tiger would dominate majors for another 5 years.

Difficulty is a huge issue. I've had numerous friends get enthused about the game and then quit abruptly because they simply weren't any good. They couldn't tolerate devoting time to something yet still topping the ball or slicing the ball. One friend bought a full set of new clubs, invested in lessons, and then threw the clubs into a lake in frustration within months. This was during the golf boom in the early 2000s. Courses were jammed at that time but I remember seeing so many newcomers who simply couldn't play a lick. I expected it to level off but I had no idea there would be such a reversal.

When I started auctioning clubs on ebay in 2002 you didn't even have to include a decent picture or description to receive tons of bids and a high price. Often I was astonished. Once I expected $40 for a Crenshaw 8802 putter and it ended up selling for more than $170. I paid $65 when new. Nowadays it is exactly the opposite. The last time I tried to auction something I didn't receive 1/3 of the expected amount. Now in the rare instances I'll offer a club I use a fixed asking price and leave it up there for a month. Someone will buy it, or they won't. The number of views is way down also.

[golfguru]

12. My GOLF LESSON for beginners & duffers:

1. stay away from professional lessons
2. buy the most expensive clubs you can afford, designed for amateurs, not for scratch golfers.
Buy only low compression balls.
3. swing at 75% of your maximum speed. practice swing must be this speed, not slower or faster.
4. NEVER try to help the ball go up
5. Hit the ball first with a 10 degree descending blow except driver, driver should be hit with 10 degree ascending path.
6. slowdown your back swing which should take twice as much time as downswing
7. do NOT downswing outside-in. approach the ball 5-10 degrees from inside
8. do not take eyes off the ball for 3 seconds after hitting it
9. try different putters at golf shop practice area, hitting from 5 feet and then 10 feet from hole. Buy the putter which holes the most balls, regardless of cost.
10. most important...use a neutral grip with woods & irons.
every bad golfer I observe has a bad grip, usually too strong, because they think it will help get the ball high in air.

[ProudLib72]

10. Oh please tell me

if he can't pay the licensing fees the course devolves to the city! Then they can build a tiny house project for the homeless on the grounds. Would make America great again!

[Scurrilous]

13. K&R

[yortsed snacilbuper]

14. golf courses typically are among the areas most heavily treated with toxic pesticides.

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