Golf key in Sisters Country economy

Sisters Country has a growing reputation across the nation as a destination for hiking, rafting, cycling and other forms of outdoor recreation. Although it is sometimes left out of discussions of the economic impact of outdoor activities, golf remains one of the key components of the recreation experience in Sisters Country.

"Golf has, historically, been a significant draw to the Sisters community and has generated a lot of tourist dollars," said Matt Cyrus, whose family owns and operates Aspen Lakes Golf Course and Brand 33 Restaurant. "I think it's kind of gotten taken for granted and maybe forgotten."

Aspen Lakes golf pro Josh McKinley reported that, "on average over the last three years, 69 percent of our rounds were played by people from outside of Central Oregon. This equates to an average of 14,702 people a year visiting the Sisters area to play golf here. This is just players, not including any family members who might be with them spending the day in town, or doing other activities. The majority of players were from Willamette Valley (including Portland), but a significant amount were also from Washington, Idaho, and California. We also have a few from other places in the U.S. and Canada."

McKinley noted that surveyed participants in this year's Central Oregon Shootout, which took place at area courses including Aspen Lakes, Black Butte Ranch and Eagle Crest, made a noticeable splash in the local economy.

Seventy-three percent spent $400 or more (not including entry fees) during their stay and 73 percent reported dining out in spots outside the golf resorts. Eighty-three percent said they would consider Sisters as a future vacation destination.

Black Butte Ranch is one of the main draws to Sisters Country, and golf "is the economic engine of the Ranch," according to CEO Scott Huntsman.

"Golf is about 37 percent of the Ranch's corporate revenue," Huntsman said. "Golf is tremendously important to the overall operation of the Ranch."

The Ranch just completed a $3.2-million renovation of the Glaze Meadow Golf Course, and Huntsmann says it is paying off with increased play and satisfied golfers.

"It's really revitalized play on that golf course," he said.

In addition to its impact on the tourism economy, golf employs a lot of people in Sisters Country.

Huntsman reports that golf operations at the Big Meadow and Glaze Meadow courses employ 55 people, eight of them full time. Seasonal positions are often eight or nine months in duration.

Cyrus says that golf employs 30 people directly at Aspen Lakes and another 27 staff Brand 33 Restaurant. He notes that the two operations are inextricably linked.

"Keep in mind that food service is a standard part of the golf experience," he said. "Even when we didn't have the restaurant, we had a café and beverage cart ... The restaurant would not be here without the golf course."

For all its power as an economic engine, golf is struggling.

"It's a really challenging industry right now," Huntsman told The Nugget. From 2010-11, "about a million players left the game. That's exacerbated by the recession, but golf has kind of been on the decline since the high years of the Tiger Woods era."

Cyrus said, "we're not seeing as much travel, and people aren't golfing as much."

That's not a local trend - in fact, the Northwest is doing better than other regions of the nation when it comes to the health of the golf industry (rounds played are up 2.2 percent from last year, according to Golf Digest). A report by the National Golf Foundation notes that, "From the mid-1980s to the turn of the century, the number of golfers grew by about 50 percent - from 20-million to 30-million golfers. That is very substantial growth - a compound annual growth rate of around three percent. But since the year 2000, the number of golfers plateaued and has been slowly declining, raising concerns about the future."

The National Golf Foundation study predicts essentially flat or very subdued growth in the golfing population.

Industry-watchers attribute golf's doldrums to a number of factors. Cost is one; golf is a relatively expensive sport and many people are reducing the number of times they play or abandoning the sport altogether for less expensive activities. Compressed time is another factor, especially for families. Dad is less likely to spend an afternoon on the course when there are soccer games to drive to and other family obligations. And in a tough economy, businessmen spend less time on the course. Some courses have created "executive courses" which can be played quickly to accommodate the harried pace of current life.

Demographics also matter. No sport can stay healthy if it doesn't replace each generation of participants with new enthusiasts. Developing an early passion is the surest way to create a future golfer. Cyrus noted that Aspen Lakes has an aggressive youth program to try to shore up the future of the sport, and offers discounted family nights each evening.

Both Cyrus and Huntsman believe that it is important to "keep golf at the forefront of the message" in the marketing campaigns for Sisters Country, even while promoting the vast array of recreational opportunities available in the area.

Golf may not be a growth industry in Sisters Country anymore, and it may have to share pride of place among recreation attractions with bike trails and events and hiking and rafting and other activities, but golf remains a potent player in the Sisters landscape. It will remain a major employer and an important driver of the Sisters Country economy for the foreseeable future.

Author Bio

Jim Cornelius, Editor in Chief

Jim Cornelius is editor in chief of The Nugget and author of “Warriors of the Wildlands: True Tales of the Frontier Partisans.” A history buff, he explores frontier history across three centuries and several continents on his podcast, The Frontier Partisans. For more information visit www.frontierpartisans.com.

• Email: editor@nuggetnews.com
• Phone: 5415499941