COVERAGE: ‘People’s Country Clubs’ of Pittsburgh Get Boost from USGA

PITTSBURGH — Golf has experienced a boom since the COVID pandemic, no doubt.

But while most tee sheets are as full as they ever have been, the number of available courses has fallen behind the demand from the golfing public.

That’s especially the case in the realm of municipal play. For instance, in the greater Pittsburgh area, only one public course has opened this century: Cranberry Highlands, established back in 2002.

In the words of Western Pennsylvania Golf Association executive director Terry Teasdale: “No one’s really building municipal courses anymore.”

Considering the scarcity for those who don’t belong to a private club, one might assume that affordability is out of the picture. To use the aforementioned Cranberry Highlands as an example, the usual $68 daily rate might not be feasible or justifiable on a regular basis.

Fortunately for local players on tighter budgets, three Pittsburgh area munis — North Park, South Park and the Bob O’Connor at Schenley Park — are holding firm with stunningly-low rates while providing an increasingly impressive golf experience in their own ways.

In the case of North and South Park, there’s been an effort by the Allegheny County parks department in recent years to invest heavily in course conditioning. Despite this, the most expensive weekend tee time will set you back just $25.

“The golf courses at North Park and South Park have focused on having quality facilities at an affordable price,” said Melissa Swedish, deputy parks director for Allegheny County. “When founded, they were often called the ‘people’s country clubs’ and we have stuck with this mission to have a variety of recreational opportunities that everyone can enjoy.”

And at ‘The Bob,’ the Arnold Palmer Learning Center adds many elements of modern indoor golf technology to a decidedly quirky nine-hole outdoor layout, which costs a maximum of $16.

“If the dollars and cents don’t align with people’s ability to access these things, what golf provides to the community becomes unmanageable,” said Eric Amato, president and CEO of First Tee Pittsburgh, which is based at ‘The Bob.’

“The asset that we’re providing is the game and the values that it can teach. By keeping the cost at a manageable rate, it keeps access to the game.”

These endeavors have grabbed attention, including that of the United States Golf Association, which last month announced a $1 million donation to be split among those three courses and a couple of other outdoor recreation facilities in the region.

“The key to sustaining growth in the game relies on a thriving public golf ecosystem, and it’s why the USGA has promoted it for more than 100 years,” said USGA CEO Mike Whan in a press release. “Public courses are entryways that provide affordable, player-friendly golf across America. As the game continues to grow as a recreational sport, we need to ensure these community gems have the tools they need to succeed, and it starts with us.”

Tough to disagree with any of that, but even though these courses aren’t private businesses, money is still needed to move the needle in a practical sense. And it’s much more palatable to complete larger projects when the funding doesn’t come entirely from the taxpayers.

To that point, improved irrigation is a goal for two of the three aforementioned courses. Swedish said that the North Park course is in the “first phase of a long-range project” to better water and drain the course, and money is running low.

“The project is costing more than was initially anticipated,” Swedish said. “We hope to utilize the donation to have a reliable watering system essential for proper course maintenance.”

With regards to Schenley Park, Amato said something similar, noting that the current irrigation system was installed in 1993 and thus it’s no longer possible to order replacement parts for it. He hinted that a new hole routing might be in the offing if they can modernize the underground infrastructure. ‘The Bob’ recently transformed itself from an 18-hole course to a nine-hole layout, although it still maintains all its former greens for practice purposes.

“First and foremost, we see this (donation) as an opportunity to transform the Bob O’Connor Golf Course into a modern and sustainable community asset,” Amato said. “As for specifics, that’s the next step. … If we’re going to replace the irrigation system, is there a routing that’s more ideal for the community to participate at this golf course? How can we make the experience that much better for the participants?”

Furthermore, while the establishment of the Palmer Learning Center has opened new revenue streams for the city via facility rentals and other activities, it’s increased overhead cost as well.

“It’s a little more expensive to run this facility than it has been in the past,” Amatos said. “I think we’re doing our best to mitigate those costs. The mission of the First Tee is about the utilization of the game of golf and what it can teach you. By having affordable access to play, it transforms the long-term effect that parks provide as a whole.

“I always tell people that the golf course doesn’t care what car you drive up in or what shoes you wear. When you play, you’re going to learn a lot about yourself, your friends and the game, and you’re going to be challenged in a variety of ways. That challenge needs to be affordable to people.”

As for South Park, where sixth-year superintendent Steven Turner has done wonders since arriving from the grounds staff at — synergy alert! — Oakmont Country Club, the USGA’s largesse will go toward a new sand silo and a revamped fleet of utility vehicles.

If you’re noticing a theme, it’s that golf course maintenance is expensive. It’s an issue the USGA is quite cognizant of, as evidenced by their Green Section initiative.

It’s also why the USGA will offer pro-bono consulting services to the three courses, plus free access to their proprietary Deacon data-collection platform, to better manage their environmental resources.

“Part of what they want to spend the money on is improved maintenance,” said Janeen Driscoll, the director of brand communications for the USGA. “We’re connecting them with our agronomic experts free of charge because we want to make sure these golf courses remain part of the community.”

Better drainage or more functional maintenance vehicles might not be sexy, but that’s the sort of thing that’s going to directly translate to a better on-course experience for golfers.

And not that these courses were in danger of extinction without the incoming monies, but the affordability mission of these outdoor playgrounds is always going to be at least a little tenuous.

Thanks to the USGA, there’s less worry about that at the “people’s country clubs.”

“The county is very appreciative,” Swedish said. “We have a lot of exciting things happening at our courses and are grateful for the opportunity to invest in our courses, and to continue providing affordable recreation to the residents and visitors of Allegheny County.”