By Sue Moore
Ah, Spring – “when a young man’s fancy turns to love,” or so the old saying goes. For some men and women, it’s more like thoughts turn to golf. After a winter of shoveling snow, battling potholes and staying home, people see the green grass of the local golf courses as a harbinger of spring and the chance to get outdoors and enjoy nature – finally.
South Kalamazoo County is blessed with several golf courses so South County News will highlight six of the closest ones.
For some time, golfing has been declining in attendance and revenue nationwide. Some claim the sport is overbuilt and it certainly suffered mightily during the recession of 2008 with closures and bankruptcy taking a toll even on nearby courses.
This area is lucky, in that it still offers many levels of play. There are active leagues at each course and competitive rates. Plus, all six courses have new or revamped clubhouses for parties and relaxation after 18 holes of golf. What is also interesting is that the owners of the nearby courses are friends and support one another with kind words and deeds.
The economic impact of having six courses within a fifteen mile radius is a plus for the communities of Scotts, Vicksburg, Schoolcraft and Three Rivers. All of them are hoping to open the first week of April or shortly thereafter, with snow melt being the biggest factor determining the exact opening date.