The Palm Beach Post: Upgrade for award-winning Osprey Point

Thu 11 October 2018

By Alexandra Seltzer
Posted Oct 11, 2018 at 12:01 AM Updated Oct 11, 2018 at 4:59 PM

It’s a common scene in Palm Beach County — and elsewhere — to see a golf course close because of a drop in players, or not enough money to operate, and the greens then being sold to build a sea of homes.

But Palm Beach County officials say they are bucking that trend — and are among a minority of municipalities nationwide whose golf courses are self sustaining.

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So much so that the county plans to spend $4.6 million on four of its courses to keep it that way. The money isn’t coming from residents’ taxes, however. It’s from revenue generated by the golf facilities, according to county documents.

Of the $4.6 million, $3.2 million will go to Osprey Point Golf Course west of Boca Raton for new maintenance equipment, a larger clubhouse and a restaurant. The remainder will go to other projects, including upgrading the drainage at Park Ridge and Southwinds courses in suburban Lake Worth and suburban Boca Raton, respectively, and regrassing the tees, greens and fairways at Okeeheelee Golf Course west of West Palm Beach.

Renderings of the restaurant to open at the Osprey Point Golf Course Clubhouse. (Photo courtesy of Palm Beach County)

“I think we have great facilities first of all and really good staff. We are in good markets,” said Paul Connell, the county’s director of special facilities for parks and recreation.

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The county originally opened the Osprey course with a small pro shop and food area. Connell said thta, with the course selling more than 95,000 rounds annually, it’s time to add parking, expand the pro shop and build a full-service restaurant. The restaurant will be 3,000 square feet and will accommodate 144 diners in and outside. The outside seating will overlook a lake. The restaurant is expected to be finished by early summer.

Osprey Point is an award-winning course that Golf Digest, TripAdvisor and the World Golf Awards have recognized. In 2011, Osprey became the first golf course in the state, the second in the country and the fifth in the world to achieve Audubon International Classic Sanctuary for its environmental efforts, according to the course’s website. Then, in 2015, Osprey became the first course in the country to be re-certified, the website says.

Connell said another likely reason the courses are doing well is that Orprey and Okeeheelee, which sells more than 69,000 rounds annually, offer 27 holes. He said operating the 27 holes isn’t much more expensive than 18 but spins off an additional 30 percent in revenue.

Source: https://www.palmbeachpost.com/news/local/palm-beach-county-upgrade-four-its-self-sustaining-golf-courses/kW3T1u6AzALcgZqx8T80GM/

The Palm Beach Post: Upgrade for award-winning Osprey Point

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