University administration will be looking to students, faculty, staff and members of the community for input about the fate of the land currently housing the Forrest Creason Golf Course. The course will close at the end of the 2017 season, according to a University press release issued Wednesday morning.
“This is not a decision we took lightly,” University spokesman Dave Kielmeyer said. “We hired a consultant, developed a study and closely reviewed our options. Even with significant investments to make the course more competitive, it is unlikely that Forrest Creason could be a break-even operation. In today’s higher education environment, we simply can’t ask our students to continue to subsidize the golf course.”
The course has suffered an irreversible decade of declining revenues and a mounting operating deficit, following the northwest Ohio golf market and national trends, the release said. Golf’s popularity is declining nationally, particularly among college-age millennials.
Undergraduate Student Government senator Joseph Tansey said there is no intent currently for USG to draft a resolution, and he personally doesn’t have reason to view the decision to close the course as a conflict with student needs or priorities.
“It would be nice if the space could be repurposed in a fun way for something like Frisbee golf or foot golf, but both of these ideas are ones which I don’t have anywhere near enough data or thoughts from constituents on to push for,” Tansey said.
Tansey welcomes all students who feel strongly about any issue to come to visit the USG office on the fourth floor of the Bowen-Thompson Student Union or Monday night meetings at 7:30 p.m.
“Moving forward, I think that as always, USG’s focus is on represent the student voice,” he said.
The report found capital investments to address an inadequate clubhouse, a new irrigation system and adding outdoor shelter facilities and banquet facility/food service would be substantial.
The study was a response to Governor John Kasich’s Ohio Task Force on Affordability and Efficiency in higher education and House Bill 64.
Currently the City of Bowling Green has three golf courses, and there are four more within 10 miles.
The Varsity golf teams practice at Forrest Creason, but compete elsewhere because of the course’s length, slope and rating.
The course will operate through December 2017, when the Forrest Creason’s four full-time employees will join the University’s campus operations staff.
The course opened in 1965 with nine holes and expanded to 18 in 1973.
