Northeast Ohio golf courses hoping to keep momentum after solid gains in 2021

Jun. 15—Area golf courses that are hoping to achieve greater success in 2022 could have a tough act to follow.

Golf courses nationwide reported major increases in the number of rounds played throughout 2021, building upon a trend that began in the second half of 2020, according to a linksmagazine.com article. The story cited data from a report issued by the National Golf Federation.

Several area golf course administrators said that they have witnessed similar patterns in more rounds being played at their properties. They said the surge was fueled by the same factors cited in NGF's study: More people returned to play golf and new golfers took up the game following the worst stretch of the pandemic.

As 2022 heads into summer, area golf courses will get a better sense of whether they can eclipse, or even sustain, their gains in rounds played during 2021, especially as COVID-19 restrictions become a more distant memory.

"COVID did bring in a lot of new golfers, and brought people back to golf, which was great," said Michael Caris, general manager of Briardale Greens Golf Course in Euclid. "The stability of (the trend) this year will really show, if people are staying as other activities open up."

At Blackbrook Golf Course in Mentor, 2021 was a record year for both rounds played and revenue. But matching that performance this year will be difficult, because of inclement springtime weather, said Tim Ausperk, PGA professional and manager at Blackbrook.

"This spring, it was so wet and cold, we missed a lot of opportunity there," he said.

Lake Metroparks operates two golf properties: Erie Shores Golf Course in Madison Township and Pine Ridge Country Club in Wickliffe. Business boomed at both places in 2021, said Lake Metroparks Deputy Director Vince Urbanski.

"Last year was our best year (for golf) since 2012," he said.

Although both Erie Shores and Pine Ridge had a slow start in 2022 because of rainy weather, Urbanski said the overall season still has a long way to go.

"Your core months are May through September, and then see what the weather is like in October and November," he said. "We actually had a really nice November in 2020, so if we have that same kind of weather in 2022, we'll match what we did in 2021."

Even without knowing how far the golf season will extend into fall, Urbanski said he believes Lake Metroparks' golf course will come close to the 2021 count for number of rounds played.

"Once the weather got nice (in May of this year), we were doing well again," he said.

In regard to how rising inflation has impacted Briardale, Blackbrook, Erie Shores and Pine Ridge, here are what administrators of each property had to say:

—Briardale Greens Golf Course: "Our price of gas went up, so our cart fee went up about a dollar, but the green fee itself stayed the same," Caris said. "So basically the total price if you're riding went up about a dollar there."

—Blackbrook Golf Course: "We didn't increase (green fees) this year," Ausperk said. "We did last year, because we hadn't increased them for about 10 years."

—Erie Shores Golf Course and Pine Ridge Country Club: "(Green fees) went up a little bit this year," Urbanski said. "Just to match the price increases we're seeing in things like fertilizer and herbicides. Even seed is up. Gas is up, obviously."

As for course improvements which have been in made, administrators at each property mentioned these projects:

—Briardale Greens Golf Course: Caris said that renovation of cart paths was a major endeavor conducted mostly last year.

"We're still doing a little bit of finishing touches, but the project is 95 percent done," he said during an interview on June 1.

—Blackbrook Golf Course: Blackbrook replaced all 27 of its bunkers a few years ago, Ausperk said.

"Some of the bunkers were replaced at their existing locations, complete with drainage and Jack Nicklaus tour-grade bunker sand," he said. "Some bunkers we took out completely and made them into grass hollows. And then we added some (bunkers) in new locations."

—Erie Shores Golf Course and Pine Ridge Country Club: At Erie Shores, Lake Metroparks has been redoing a couple of bunkers every year, Urbanski said. Some new tees and forward tees also have been added on the course.

"At Pine Ridge, we redid the bunkers a couple of years ago," he said. "We're really focusing now on putting in new tees out there."

Administrators of all three golf courses also commented on trends they've seen in demographics among golfers.

—Briardale Greens Golf Course: Caris said the course is seeing more younger-generation golfers and they're coming from outside the city of Euclid.

"We're starting to pull really from downtown (Cleveland)." he said. "You're seeing people come over from Mentor, Wickliffe, Willoughby. So we're seeing a more diverse crowd, age-wise."

—Blackbrook Golf Course: "Women's golf is picking up, and kids, as well," Ausperk said.

He added that Blackbrook offers programs for children to help get them involved in golf and to become good players.

—Erie Shores Golf Course and Pine Ridge Country Club: "We're seeing more young people, anecdotally speaking," Urbanski said. "And we seem to see more women golfing, which is great. It's a demographic that's good to see growing in the game of golf."