AFTER maintaining the same schedule for 60 years, Seymour Golf and Country Club is paring down public play in a bid to swing its way out of the economic rough.
Members of the public have been teeing off at the District of North Vancouver-owned course on Fridays since the 1950s, but stagnant membership and the competition posed by Northlands Golf Course necessitated a change, said members of council Monday night. Public play on Mondays will be retained.
The move has been criticized for excluding the public from a course on public land. But maintaining Northlands and Seymour as competitors is not wise, according to Mayor Richard Walton and other councillors.
"One of the things we always have to be aware of is that Northlands and Seymour are two very different golf experiences," said Coun. Alan Nixon.
Young golfers are more suited to the tougher terrain of Northlands, Walton
added. "It is impossible for a lot of people to walk Northlands right now. It's much easier to walk Seymour," he said.
With health and mobility problems taking putters out of the hands of many club members, Seymour has taken the unsustainable approach of boosting monthly dues, according to Seymour club president Greg Hope.
On average, the club loses about 50 members each year. In 2012, the club recruited 53 new members and lost 56.
"Sixty years ago this lease arrangement made sense. Today, with Northlands offering. .. a public golf alternative just blocks away, it's time for a change," Hope said.
Under the new arrangement, Seymour will be able to attract more members, allowing the club to be economically
sustainable and continue paying taxes to the district, according to Hope.
While council's vote was unanimous, the main note of caution was sounded by Coun. Mike Little.
The new arrangement raises Seymour's annual minimum rent from $250,000 to $375,000.
"If your organization doesn't really grow, this is a bad deal for the District of North Vancouver," Little said.
While frequency of play may ratchet up during slow periods, the lift to Northlands could be negligible, warned Little.
"I don't know that we're going to see the bump in Northlands that's been projected because their Fridays are generally booked up as it is."
Little ultimately cast his vote in the hopes of Seymour landing a bigger crop of members playing a greater number of rounds.
"I don't see any other way that we're going to get the capital improvements that need to take place on the site," he said.
The new arrangement also gives the district an additional 1.2 acres of park space.
