A few days ago, the Joplin Globe published a long article about the financial issue about the city-owned Schifferdecker Golf Course, which is on Route 66 on the west side of Joplin, Missouri.
The golf course runs an annual deficit of about $140,000 a year, and it draws about half the users it did a decade ago. It’s still booking about 20,000 rounds a year, but the course is facing a lot of imminent issues with aging golf carts and mowing equipment. And revenues aren’t robust because the city tries to keep the green fees low.
One of the possible solutions is hiring a golf pro, which will cost a little more money but will likely generate a lot more revenue, including some from the PGA. I’ve read about other struggling golf courses improve cash flow by doing this.
However, one of the things that really stick out about Schifferdecker Golf Course is this:
It is the second oldest golf course west of the Mississippi River, and it is located on Route 66.
A lot of big names from the game’s golden era have played there.
One of Garrie’s favorite stories is about Ky Laffoon, who is said to have won a $50 bet against a golfer who didn’t recognize Laffoon.
Byron Nelson, Patty Berg, Hale Irwin and Payne Stewart have also been on Joplin’s local links.
Flatt recommended the city tout the course’s history to promote it as a place to play.
I’ve been interested in Route 66 for more than 15 years, and this is the first I’ve heard about Schifferdecker’s history or those Hall-of-Famers who’ve played there. No such information is on the course’s website.
Avid golfers have a good sense of history about their sport. They love to play at places such as Southern Hills Country Club in Tulsa, where Arnold Palmer and Tiger Woods won major championships. Schifferdecker doesn’t have that major-championship allure, of course, but it will would be cool to play on the course where Irwin — who grew up in nearby Baxter Springs, Kansas — cut his teeth.
And the notion of tourists going on a Route 66 tour of golf courses has appeal. Publications such as Golf Digest and a smattering of websites — such as this one — have taken that angle over the years.
But on its history, it seems the city of Joplin and Schifferdecker Golf Course are missing a big opportunity. They had better get on it.
(Image of Schifferdecker Golf Course entrance by Corliss Jahner via Flickr)