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.
Conversations about the Olympics’ inability to attract top golfers should clarify that this is a problem on the men’s side alone. The women are doing just fine.
With a secure future and a standalone date in hand, the Sanderson Farms Championship has a chance to keep its novelty while also becoming more than just a novelty.
The tension between preserving the Sanderson’s identity and attracting top-50 players isn’t going away. But for 2019, at least, that tension has been allayed.