Golf courses looking to remain on economic par

[0:03] ..." an -- president of sterling management. As you have seen your six golf courses this year. The economy being what it is have you seen an uptick have you seen less rounds would -- be --"...

[1:10] ..." of trying to maintain. The number of rounds. You know at your golf courses. I think the biggest."...

[1:18] ..." very very concerned about. They're spending. They're concerned right now about their heating oil to host this winter their gas to get back and forth to work in other things. And as a result -- discretionary spending that they're going to cut back and I think there where a little bit less or shielded by it because our clubs our public golf courses with little bit of a lower price point for greens fees. And therefore you know if they can get out Michael instead"...

[2:12] ..." no matter what -- charging right now. There's too many of the golf courses too much competition. And is using huge growth of goal of golf courses. -- to the 1990s and you know that would probably be my number one item overseas course conditions. And what do you see in terms. For the rest of the year it's going to maintain already think that. It's going to be challenged try to pull people in. I think as the season goes on I think it's going to become even more to challenge in the stock market continues to go down. You know placed the barrel of oil continues to go up the economy continues to become more shaky"...

[3:41] ..." whole. To trying to maintain the interest -- is a lot of golf courses in this area. It's an enormous challenge and in. Golf isn't what it was 1990s. Halted in 1990s golf grew it was the sport that you had to be involved in if you were a woman if you were in business if you -- Anybody you had to play around nickel and everybody took up the game and got very involved in it and after you know September 9/11. It was real downturn stand with 2002 and and in to 2003. Just swung the opposite direction that now it became you know too long to play golf. Timed restraints. To slow play. Not the premium thing to do and severe overbuilding. And nearly a hundred golf course were -- and the state of Massachusetts alone. You know to add to it 125%. Increase in courses and indeed the game didn't go along with it so with -- over surplus over population golf courses. It's been very very difficult one for golf the last five to six years."...

[0:00]" Check check check 12 went to. Can an -- president of sterling management. As you have seen your six golf courses this year. The economy being what it is have you seen an uptick have you seen less rounds would -- be -- We've we've seen slightly more rounds right close to the Boston area because the demographics and -- people sting a little bit closer to home to illegal. A little bit further away from the city -- courses we're actually seeing a slight downturn and those clubs within a little bit further away don't have quite the population in little bit wanted to -- to. Are you finding that this is pretty much consistent with the industry as you're involved in talking to other courses and -- talk. Forty fine that this is just idiosyncratic. To the golf -- say in the Boston area that are doing well. I think it's uniform across the state and talk to a number of other owners in. Some these owners -- seen a slight increase and a better year this year in 2008 and it talked to others that are just you know seemed to have seen a slight downturn this season. What is the challenge Kevin in terms of an economy like this of trying to maintain. The number of rounds. You know at your golf courses. I think the biggest."

[1:17]" Challenges people being very very concerned about. They're spending. They're concerned right now about their heating oil to host this winter their gas to get back and forth to work in other things. And as a result -- discretionary spending that they're going to cut back and I think there where a little bit less or shielded by it because our clubs our public golf courses with little bit of a lower price point for greens fees. And therefore you know if they can get out Michael instead of -- hundred dollars for round they can come over for fifty dollars around. And I think it'll will be shield a little bit from the economy situation. What of the keys in your mind in terms of trying to entice. Golfers to your facilities. I think a lot of it is golf course conditions and the first thing that we Afghan this is very premium golf course conditions because that is the if you agreeing to not good if you course conditions is not good that that's that the customer is not -- no matter what -- charging right now. There's too many of the golf courses too much competition. And is using huge growth of goal of golf courses. -- to the 1990s and you know that would probably be my number one item overseas course conditions. And what do you see in terms. For the rest of the year it's going to maintain already think that. It's going to be challenged try to pull people in. I think as the season goes on I think it's going to become even more to challenge in the stock market continues to go down. You know placed the barrel of oil continues to go up the economy continues to become more shaky and people going to be more concerned about you know then surviving the winter time and in paying their bills and mortgages and oil heating -- other things that. It's it's just can be a little tougher as we go throughout the season. Do you have to maintain a certain. Fee schedule horror do you look at. Specials or things of that nature. We tend to try to keep our -- schedule we -- it's I mean that's that's the value of golf and a round of golf and I really. I tend to avoid discounting I mean discounting is just destroyed certain -- markets in trying to run specials in. Lowering your price point are signing on with their party programs to to sell your rounds just destroys the industries and really try to keep you know where -- where they are. And finally. -- major challenge is it for the industry. As a whole. To trying to maintain the interest -- is a lot of golf courses in this area. It's an enormous challenge and in. Golf isn't what it was 1990s. Halted in 1990s golf grew it was the sport that you had to be involved in if you were a woman if you were in business if you -- Anybody you had to play around nickel and everybody took up the game and got very involved in it and after you know September 9/11. It was real downturn stand with 2002 and and in to 2003. Just swung the opposite direction that now it became you know too long to play golf. Timed restraints. To slow play. Not the premium thing to do and severe overbuilding. And nearly a hundred golf course were -- and the state of Massachusetts alone. You know to add to it 125%. Increase in courses and indeed the game didn't go along with it so with -- over surplus over population golf courses. It's been very very difficult one for golf the last five to six years."