
How much is a golf course worth today?
Those in the industry will tell you that a golf course that was purchased for $5 million in 2006 would be worth about $2.5 million today. From 2010 to 2014, there were a lot of distressed golf course assets put on the market by lenders, financial institutions, and bankruptcy companies.
How is a golf course property in Florida valued?
Actually, recently a golf course property in Florida was valued in two separate ways by the bank: One value was based on the golf course as a business, the second was the value of the property as pure, raw real estate land. The golf course as a business was worthless in the eyes of the banker.
How does the process of buying a golf course work?
The process usually starts in one of two ways: a prospective owner has a specific golf property in mind (having played there or heard about it from a friend), or the person knows they want to buy a course and starts by talking with a broker who specializes in golf course properties.
Is buying a golf course a good investment?
There’s one golf course brokerage firm that publishes findings every year on the average sale price of golf courses for the past year. Buyers of golf courses, especially the more active ones will often quote a gross revenue multiple that coincides with their investment objectives and desires.

How do you determine the value of a golf course?
As with most property types, golf courses can be valued via the income approach, sales approach, or cost approach. Each method has its limitations. Given the specialized nature of golf course properties, the application of the comparable sales approach is preferred.
Do golf courses appreciate in value?
A study done by the National Recreation and Parks Association found that properties that view a golf course, even if they are not a part of that golf community, have 15-30% higher property values.
What is the average revenue for a golf course?
According to the National Golf Foundation's 2010 Operating & Financial Performance Profiles of 18-hole golf facilities in the U.S., private 18-hole golf clubs had average total revenue of $3,277,000 in 2009, but with total expenses of $3,204,500.
Is buying a house on a golf course a good investment?
Golf course properties typically have great resale value, selling at two to three times that of an average home – which is a magnet for investors.
How many acres does it take to build a golf course?
“This means an 18-hole course of all short par 3s could be built on as little as 30 acres, while an intermediate length or executive course of 18 holes of par 3s and 4s would require 75-100 acres, and a full size par 72 course would need 120-200 acres.
Is it desirable to live on a golf course?
There are so many wonderful advantages to living on a golf course or in a golf course community – from the high property values and quality school districts that usually are nearby, to the other community amenities and golf at your fingertips, living on a golf course is living the dream.
How profitable is owning a golf course?
Profitable golf courses are generally selling for six to eight times EBITDA, while courses that aren't profitable tend to sell at 0.8 to 1.4 times revenue.
What is the profit margin on golf clubs?
After all expenses, the best golf retailers rarely profit more than 2-3% of the total cost of a club. However, as a whole, we can say that around 33.33% of the cost of a golf club is the markup from the retailer.
What percentage of golf courses are profitable?
On an encouraging note, Sageworks' data show that even though golf courses have negative margins, they have strengthened steadily since 2008, when the average net profit margin was about -9%.
How noisy is living on a golf course?
Noise Levels Noise won't be an issue after the sun sets if the course doesn't have lights, which can lead to a peaceful evening on your patio. However, courses can get very noisy during the daylight hours. The immaculate course conditions take a lot of work, and course prep starts early to beat the golfers.
Is a driving range a good investment?
How much profit can a driving range make? An indoor facility with full-service restaurant and rental space in a high-traffic urban environment can see a net profit of up to $2.9 million a year. However, if you have a low-tech field in the country, you could see an income as low as $40,000 a year.
How do country clubs make money?
The most common income streams are green fees, membership fees, pro shop sales, and food and beverage sales.
How much did Doyle pay for the golf course?
The $3.8 million Doyle paid for the course, in Florida’s third-biggest market, is slightly more than the average purchase price ($3.1 million) for the 114 golf course sales tracked by Leisure Investment Properties Group last year. And the majority of transactions in the current environment involve first-time buyers, like Doyle.
Where is Gold Canyon Golf Resort?
The Gold Canyon Golf Resort & Spa is in the foothills of the Superstition Mountains in Arizona and features two 18-hole courses—Dinosaur Mountain and Sidewinder—that combine for 64,000 rounds-played annually. The sale includes the salon and spa, three restaurants, 97 casitas and villas, meeting and banquet rooms, and 76 acres of development land along fairways. The entire offering covers approximately 370 acres.
What happens when a potential property is identified?
Once a potential property is identified, this starts the buyer down the road of due diligence, for both the facility itself and the market.
When did PGA National Resort and Spa change hands?
PGA National Resort & Spa and its five golf courses previously changed hands in 2006 for $170 million and the property is now up for sale again. Beyond the golf courses, one of which hosts the PGA Tour’s Honda Classic, the luxury resort features 339 hotel rooms, a 40,000-square-foot spa, 42,000 square feet of meeting space, restaurants, and has invested $89 million in renovations since the 2006 sale.
Is the golf course market oversupplied?
D o profitable opportunities exist? Yes , but th e reality is that the golf course market is oversupplied, the byproduct of more than 4,000 courses being built from 1986–2005. It’s why course closures have outweighed new course construction for the past decade. While some closures are attributable to mismanagement, too few golfers, or too much competition, this trend has been largely driven by residential and commercial real estate, and the demand for land.
What is golf course appraisal?
A golf course is actually a large business enterprise that groups revenue-producing departments under one identity. Performing a golf course appraisal involves the valuation of real estate, personal property and a business. A golf course appraiser must have an understanding of the components that comprise a golf course operation ...
Where is a golf course located?
A golf course/resort located on an island on the Wisconsin and Michigan (Upper Peninsula) Border. Taking of land by eminent domain can provide a unique valuation challenge when it involves a partial taking of a golf course – a challenge we have dealt with. Losing a portion of a golf hole (s) can severely impact a golf operation.
What is a TCP golf course?
The TCP is a chain of public and private golf course operated by the PGA Tour. Golf course appraisals present unique challenges. A golf course is actually a large business enterprise that groups revenue-producing departments under one identity. Performing a golf course appraisal involves the valuation of real estate, ...
Can losing a golf hole affect a golf course?
Losing a portion of a golf hole (s) can severely impact a golf operation. An appraiser must analyze the effect on the remainder of the golf course. Expensive reconfiguration of the remaining course layout is not always an option. The remaining golf property may no longer be suitable for a golf course operation.
Do private golf clubs have financial statements?
By their nature, private or nonprofit golf clubs may have financial statements with a bottom line that does not look good. The purpose of the appraisal has a direct bearing on the approach. For financing purposes the club must be able to support the debt service.
Is cost analysis applicable to golf properties?
A cost analysis is usually not applicable for existing golf properties and the income analysis is typically most important. Much like conventional real estate investments golf course values tend to be linked to their locality. Estimating value by existing sales comparison is tricky since no two courses are exactly alike.
Is a golf course subject to tax?
It is important to recognize that the business measurement of a golf course may not be subject to assessment and taxation. Being national appraisers of golf courses provides the Gorman Group with the experience and knowledge to handle these assignments.
Which golf courses are worth more than anything else?
There are a few exceptions. “There are two golf courses in the world that are worth more as a course than anything else,” Woolson says. “Augusta and St. Andrews. Most are rarely worth anything close. Cypress Point? Think of the homes you could put on that!”
What are the most expensive areas to operate a golf course?
Golf course pros look at added issues that separate courses from other types of real estate. One owner with courses in California and Mexico — among the most expensive areas to operate a golf course, given the climate — says when he looks at a new course, he thinks what could break and need costly repairs over the next three years.
Is $100 a good tee time?
A $100 tee time in the evening could be way more profitable than a $200 tee time in the middle of a time slot when a company wants to host a large and profitable corporate outing.
Can a bank finance a golf course?
Given the risk of operating a golf course profitably, there are not many lenders — and few traditional bank lenders — willing to finance the purchase of a golf course, particularly by a first-time owner.
Is buying a golf course a real estate transaction?
While buying a golf course is a real estate transaction, golf courses aren’t like traditional real estate. “Golf is a business opportunity attached to a piece of land if the land has no other use,” says Jeff Woolson, managing director of CBRE’s Golf & Resort Group.
Is buying a golf course a profitable business?
Buying a golf course is often a passion play. But with the right business savvy, it can also be a profitable enterprise.
What is the average GRM?
The average GRM has stayed pretty consistent around the 1.5 mark for the past 6 years, which is consistent with market interview surveys and the SGA survey. Additionally, the median has hovered from just below 1.0 to nearly 1.5 with extremes of less than .5 and more than 3.0. These #’s are illustrated in the adjacent graphic. Our next step is to explore the different trends between daily-fee and private facilities and see if there are differences. Certainly, these different operating models attract different buyers. The question is whether their investment criteria are similar.
Why is gross revenue multiplier useful?
The gross revenue multiplier (GRM) largely became useful when more and more golf courses fell into distress. Since many golf properties had little or no cash flow, extracting a capitalization rate by simply dividing cash flow by the sale price yielded distorted results. Many of the properties that sold weren’t/aren’t stabilized and especially when a property had negative cash flow sales didn’t tell us much. Many purchasers now rely on historical gross revenues to assist in making purchase decisions. What these multiples don’t tell us are the following:
Can a hobbyist buy golf properties?
Above all else, this tells us that economics largely drive the purchase of golf properties. Yes, there is the occasional “hobbyist” that can afford to and wants to buy golf properties, and there are other metrics besides GRM.
Do sales prices show any trend?
Sale prices don’t show any appreciable trends. They seem to move up and down significantly enough that no stable trend can be identified. A few very high priced or low priced sales can impact the statistics too much for reliable use.
