Golf Courses for the Dominican Masses?

[AlterEgo]

Build it and they will come….. in the USA I live in an area of southern New Jersey with golf courses everywhere. Miniature golf in all the seashore towns that introduce kids to golf. Private courses, fancy clubs, public courses. My grandsons, 17 and 12 have been playing for years, have their own clubs, etc. Older one has a membership to one place, goes with his high school buddies when he’s not playing baseball. Sometimes with his dad. Driving ranges dot the area. Tiger Woods is building a course here with Mike Trout.

I say all this to back up what NALS posted. If they build a course/courses, locals will try it and maybe love it.

Think I’m kidding about my area? All in about 10 mile radius.

 

[monfongo]

About 20 yrs. ago at the Santiago golf course we were on the tee box and we heard a gun shot then we watched a security guard chasing a Haitian across the fairway.

 

[william webster]

Au contraire mon frere.
Courses are a*s-hole to elbow in North American courses.
Play may be down a bit since Covid and inflation has pinched many pocket books so it's harder to find money to play especially if you are taking on extra work to make it.
I imagine there would be some excellent young golfers here if they could play $25 rounds, and get some discount lessons but that will not be happening, so we will never know.

I dunno

Been playing for over 65 years
I watch pretty closely

The USGA has been bleeding members for years
All sorts of articles if you care to research it

 

[cavok]

You push over a lot to post. Not that your statement is 100% wrong, golf can't be a sport of the common folk for the reasons I stated above. It's not like yachting. It is attainable for the middle and lower classes. The issue is, if the marketing isn't there, and there's little or no motivation to follow the sport, no one will play. Each sport needs their marketing and scandals to make the sport interesting. Your statement appears to be one from the perspective of someone who has had very little exposure to the game.

According to the article below, average green fees at a public course are $61. I doubt that will be any lower here in the DR. Add in golf cart and equipment rental and you're getting close to $100. I don't think there are enough Dominicans that could afford that on a weekly basis to justify the government building public courses.

How much does it cost to play golf? Here are average green fees in America

How much does it cost to play golf? We explain the average green fee in the United States depending on time of day

thegolfnewsnet.com

 

[cavok]

definitely not a cheap sport but if you can afford it it certainly is addicting I've been addicted to 30 years

I've only played a couple times. It was enjoyable and takes a lot of skill for sure, but it was just too time consuming and expensive for me compared to other activities I enjoyed like tennis and going to the gym.

 

[NanSanPedro]

About 20 yrs. ago at the Santiago golf course we were on the tee box and we heard a gun shot then we watched a security guard chasing a Haitian across the fairway.

What kind of hazard is that?

 

[RDKNIGHT]

What kind of hazard is that?

health hazard

 

[RDKNIGHT]

Build it and they will come….. in the USA I live in an area of southern New Jersey with golf courses everywhere. Miniature golf in all the seashore towns that introduce kids to golf. Private courses, fancy clubs, public courses. My grandsons, 17 and 12 have been playing for years, have their own clubs, etc. Older one has a membership to one place, goes with his high school buddies when he’s not playing baseball. Sometimes with his dad. Driving ranges dot the area. Tiger Woods is building a course here with Mike Trout.

I say all this to back up what NALS posted. If they build a course/courses, locals will try it and maybe love it.

Think I’m kidding about my area? All in about 10 mile radius.

View attachment 8408

I played at least half of the courses my favorite was Atlantis golf club ....

 

[NALs]

A new interview to Félix Olivo, who is one of the most knowledgeable about golf in the DR, this time in PolitiquendoRD (despite on this interview there is nothing about Dominican politics), starting at 49:25 (+/-) reveals that the area where now exist the SD heliport originally was suppose to be the site of a new golf driving range for the general public. Among the reasons it was never built was that they said "golf is only for the rich."

You're a kid, like golf, have the skills to become a great golfer if you get enough adequate practice but you are born poor in the DR? You are out of luck. You have more chances as a shoeshine boy or to become a great mugger. The DR is in great need for one more shoeshine boy and one more mugger.

 

[NALs]

Well, well... a presidential candidate is proposing building a driving range in the National District to encourage the practice of golf among the everyday people and make it a tourist attraction too. He says one of the reasons, other than encouraging the sport, is that in other countries there are municipal golf courses (they tend to not be as selective as private golf clubs because they are owned by the government.)

Hmm, from where did he got that idea? Sounds like something I would say. Maybe someone has been reading the forum, either him or someone he knows and told him about the idea?

Listín Diario; Jan 23, 2024.

 

[NALs]

PS. I typed "presidential candidate," but really he is aspiring for a counselor of the 1st Circunsciption of the National District position.

 

[NALs]

When will the DR hace a store like PGA Tour Superstore? Granted, this is a new store given it hasn’t existed for a decade yet and still expanding rapidly, but I think this is the biggest golf store ever. They even allow you to fit the clubs, balls, etc before buying them!

A store as big as this dedicated only to golf I think is impossible in the DR, at least to open one that will be profitable. While the USA PGA Tour Superstore actually combines golf and tennis, in the DR it would have to include other sports such as cycling, polo, etc. Maybe it could have a shot at being profitable.

Thid store is like a dream come true. Lol

 

[JD Jones]

When will the DR hace a store like PGA Tour Superstore? Granted, this is a new store given it hasn’t existed for a decade yet and still expanding rapidly, but I think this is the biggest golf store ever. They even allow you to fit the clubs, balls, etc before buying them!

A store as big as this dedicated only to golf I think is impossible in the DR, at least to open one that will be profitable. While the USA PGA Tour Superstore actually combines golf and tennis, in the DR it would have to include other sports such as cycling, polo, etc. Maybe it could have a shot at being profitable.

Thid store is like a dream come true. Lol

Imagine the prices.

 

[aarhus]

If that is the case, then most of everything should had never been done in the DR (and in most countries in the world for that matter.)

There is a difference what should be a public service and then what fits better in with the private sector and business. Oh I am commenting an old post

 

[aarhus]

Well, well... a presidential candidate is proposing building a driving range in the National District to encourage the practice of golf among the everyday people and make it a tourist attraction too. He says one of the reasons, other than encouraging the sport, is that in other countries there are municipal golf courses (they tend to not be as selective as private golf clubs because they are owned by the government.)

Hmm, from where did he got that idea? Sounds like something I would say. Maybe someone has been reading the forum, either him or someone he knows and told him about the idea?

Listín Diario; Jan 23, 2024.

It won’t be long then before you have a Dominican Tiger Woods.

 

[M4kintosh]

in the DR it would have to include other sports such as cycling, polo, etc. Maybe it could have a shot at being profitable.

Thid store is like a dream come true. Lol

We used to have superstores like this in the 80s and 90s:

El Molino Deportivo
Caza y Pesca (Fishing and Hunting)
Americana Departamentos
Cuesta Centro

Of all the ones, El Molino still (and barely) survives.

 

[RDKNIGHT]

When will the DR hace a store like PGA Tour Superstore? Granted, this is a new store given it hasn’t existed for a decade yet and still expanding rapidly, but I think this is the biggest golf store ever. They even allow you to fit the clubs, balls, etc before buying them!

A store as big as this dedicated only to golf I think is impossible in the DR, at least to open one that will be profitable. While the USA PGA Tour Superstore actually combines golf and tennis, in the DR it would have to include other sports such as cycling, polo, etc. Maybe it could have a shot at being profitable.

Thid store is like a dream come true. Lol

when pigs fly 🐷