Imagine building 26 golf courses at the height of the golf development bubble, with nine figures in public pension money — in an effort that now loses money year after year. Welcome to the Robert Trent Jones Golf Trail.
In theory, 12-hole designs should be cheaper to play, build, and maintain. But in the staid industry of golf course development, there’s been no rush to test the theory. The minds behind Sweetens Cove are ready to change that.
Lincoln Duff explains that, with a variety spanning cutting-edge 21st century designs and Golden Age layouts, not many American cities can match the depth of golf options in Chattanooga, Tenn., both public and private.
“I think it was Bill Coore that put the philosophy best: ‘You want to maintain this golf course so that it browns in, rather than greens out.’ You’re constantly working that edge where golf ends and where the site begins”
“Throwing a bunch of money at it doesn’t equal great golf. Just because it’s done for a reasonable price and with thought for where the money’s going doesn’t mean it’s cheap.”