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More than 960 homes surround the golf course. In 2024, 52,661 rounds were played, mostly by local residents.
The Palm Harbor Golf Course has cost the City of Palm Coast an average of $176,634 per year for the past five years. What can be done?
The new City Council, which has already shown an appetite to tackle controversial issues such as house colors and commercial vehicle parking, asked city staff on Jan. 7 to present golf course options to review. A presentation is scheduled for a special workshop on Tuesday, Jan. 28, at City Hall.
‘WE CAN’T BE BLEEDING MONEY’
Holding up a report of the golf course’s financials, City Councilman Charles Gambaro said on Jan. 7: “We lose hundreds of thousands of dollars every year. […] Do we need to sell it — but still keep it a golf course? I think it’s important that that land remains a golf course for our community. Could an investor come in and turn it into something different that becomes a destination, get it back on the tax rolls? I don’t know, but I think those are all options I think we should consider.”
Mayor Mike Norris concurred: “We don’t need to be bleeding money like that on the golf course.”
City Councilman Ray Stevens said, “Before we even consider selling it, we should look into a resolution, a covenant, making that property for perpetuity either a golf course or used for public recreation, so that someone doesn’t come along, buy it, say, ‘We’re going make a golf course,’ and then turn around and turn it into condos.”
In an attempt to soothe the golf course advocates in the community, Norris said, “Don’t make the mistake of thinking we’re moving forward and putting out that we’re trying to selling the golf corse. No. We’re just trying to improve our community.
However, he continued: “I wholeheartedly agree that we can’t be bleeding money on something as simple as a golf course, and being competitive with other golf courses. It’s a big deal. That’s big money being lost.”
PAST, PRESENT, FUTURE
The city’s golf course was designed by Arnold Palmer, and Nancy Lopez became the touring pro in 1978. It was donated to the city in 2009, and was operated by a third party, Kemper Sports, until 2017, when the city of Palm Coast took over operations management, alongside Troon, which now maintains the course.
Upcoming maintenance costs in the capital improvement plan include $150,00 for irrigation pump station repairs, $20,000 for gravel parking lot repairs, and $500,000 for greens renovations.
More than 960 homes surround the golf course.
Of the 52,661 rounds played in 2024, 91% were by local residents. Matanzas and Flagler Palm Coast high school teams use the course, along with other organizations, including the Special Olympics.
The cost of an 18-hole round typically costs 8% less at a municipal course than at a non-resort course, according to city staff.
Options presented to the City Council on Jan. 28 will be as follows:
First, continue operations, looking for ways to reduce expenses and increase revenue. Second, sell the course. Third, hire a company to manage operations.
