WOODRIDGE, IL – The Village Greens of Woodridge golf course's future is unclear, with a consultant saying its financial struggles are "perplexing."
In the early 1970s, the village bought the course northwest of Darien from a private owner.
Since 1995, the Woodridge Park District has run the golf course under an agreement with the village. The district gave it up in November.
A couple of weeks ago, a village consultant, JJ Keegan, released a 112-page report detailing the options for the golf course. On Thursday night, the Village Board plans to discuss it.
The village's options are to close it, run the course itself or hire a third party under a management agreement or lease.
JJ Keegan recommended against closing the course, although the consultant estimated the village could get more than $50 million for it.
A closure, the consulting firm said, would cost the town green space. The firm also noted the "political sensitivity" from nearby homeowners who want the course to stay.
As for the village running the course, the consultant said that would cost too much.
Instead, the firm suggested a management agreement, with the village paying a third party an estimated $72,000 a year. Then, the village would enjoy the benefit of any positive cash flow and be responsible for any losses and required capital investments.
The course needs millions of dollars in improvements over the next dozen years, the consultant said.
At the same time, JJ Keegan saw opportunities for increasing income.
"Based on the surge of golf nationally, the lack of profitability at Village Greens is perplexing but is attributable to a sole factor: the business practices implemented since 2013," the consultant said.
This has been while the demand for golf within a 30-minute drive from Village Greens exceeds supply by 83 percent, the firm said.
The consultant concluded that Village Greens suffered from several factors:
The golf course is also failing to take advantage of its database of more than 35,000 valid email addresses, JJ Keegan said.
During the past two years, only 11 emails were sent to the database's addresses, the consultant said. Five of them promoted the Illinois State Scramble.
Nationally, golf courses are seeing surges in participation by beginners, women, people of color and youth.
At Village Greens, however, 82 percent of its users are male and 82 percent white, the consultant said. The median age is 56.
The year-round operation is hurting the course.
"Golfers who play from November to March inflict damage on the turf in the form of divots on the tees and fairways and ball marks on the green that do not heal due to the low temperature," the consultant said. "Thus, playing conditions in the spring reflect the damage that occurred throughout the winter."
If management policies are adjusted, the course could generate more than $3 million in income before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization of more than $400,000 annually, the consultant said.
The Village Board meets at 7:45 p.m. Thursday at Village Hall to discuss the issue. That session immediately follows its regular meeting.
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