PART: GOLF – RESORTS
Golf continues to gain in popularity, especially among well-heeled travelers, and there are many ways to capture a share of that market. While tourism and the hospitality industry appear to be caught in the traps of overexpansion and the recession's slump, golf-resort development remains robust and resort operators are eager to accommodate the demands of tomorrow's seasoned travelers. Golf is not only emerging as the sport of choice worldwide for the 1990's, it is also affecting the lodging industry's marketing and positioning by addressing the needs of conference planners, business travelers, and those who head to the links for their annual vacation.
Golf courses can serve many purposes. Because of their attractiveness to growing numbers of people, they may help the marketing effort in selling a resort or residential community. The design of the golf course is dependent on the strategic role it is meant to play within the resort. If the primary purpose of the course is to sell real estate, buildings should be designed to take advantage of views. By some estimates, golf course frontage can result in an 8 percent premium in the price for a home. In contrast, in one study, a home one-tenth of a mile from the golf course gate had a 3.7 percent reduction in its value compared to golf course frontage.
Water elements should be planned as both scenic amenities and as golf hazards and the most valuable land should be kept for uses other than golf.
Courses can also be used in the marketing effort to sell homes or condominiums. An estimated 80 percent of all new and planned golf courses are associated with residential developments. In these cases, the course should be developed early in ...