Sagebrush

[KBong]

I don't see the long term viability of Sagebrush.

I have been in Merritt several times....all to either gas up...bathroom break or to get a quick bite at McDonald's/Subway, etc.

[ScubaSteve]

Good video on the reopening. 

 

 

[2bGood]

I have to figure the highway being swept away and under re-conctruciton is not going to help them over the next year or two

[frequentlurker]

Played it a couple of times since the "soft reopening" in 2021. The setting is stunning. The layout is exceptional. So many things to love.

 

But there's no way this place is going to survive. No clubhouse and apparently infighting between the current ownership group about building one. The place is in the middle of nowhere. The season is short. They'll need to sell dozens of plots of land around the place for residential development to have a shot. I don't see it happening. God I hope I'm wrong. Love Sagebrush.

[2bGood]

3 minutes ago, asofine said:

Played it a couple of times since the "soft reopening" in 2021. The setting is stunning. The layout is exceptional. So many things to love.

 

But there's no way this place is going to survive. No clubhouse and apparently infighting between the current ownership group about building one. The place is in the middle of nowhere. The season is short. They'll need to sell dozens of plots of land around the place for residential development to have a shot. I don't see it happening. God I hope I'm wrong. Love Sagebrush.

To be honest I don't fully understand why they can't make it work in the long term. There are so many examples of great golf courses being built in amazing locations in remote areas and making it work. It is too bad that Mike Keiser did not pick it up rather than build in Revelstoke.

 

There is something that can work, just has not had the correct owners yet willing to invest in what is needed. 

 

That aside how were course conditions? 

[frequentlurker]

Just now, 2bGood said:

To be honest I don't fully understand why they can't make it work in the long term. There are so many examples of great golf courses being built in amazing locations in remote areas and making it work. It is too bad that Mike Keiser did not pick it up rather than build in Revelstoke.

 

There is something that can work, just has not had the correct owners yet willing to invest in what is needed. 

 

That aside how were course conditions? 

 

I sure hope you're right. I don't profess to have any expertise in running a  golf course, but just my back of the envelope math says they're in for a battle. Namely:

 

The season is short: 5 months max, I would assume

Their plan is only allow 40 golfers on the course per day @ $250/ea.

They have just a handful (I think only 2 or 3?) guest suites available for an overnight stay - so this won't be a huge money-maker either

They have no clubhouse, no restaurant (they had a guy with a smoker on the course), and no other evident revenue streams - hell, they don't even have a liquor license at the moment

 

Anyway, to answer your question: the course is getting there. Everything between the tee and green is about what it should be. My first round there, the greens were virtually unplayable. A few months later, they had come a long way. I'd assume that they'll be pretty darn good this season. The bunkers remained a major weak spot (little-to-no sand, rocks everywhere), but they said they'd have that in order soon, too.

 

Re-reading all of the above, it sounds like a middling review at best. But the experience/setting/layout there is just so fantastic that I left the place with an ear-to-ear smile both times, and I'm optimistic they'll have it in better shape this season.

 

I've never wanted more for a golf course to succeed. 

[2bGood]

10 minutes ago, asofine said:

 

I sure hope you're right. I don't profess to have any expertise in running a  golf course, but just my back of the envelope math says they're in for a battle. Namely:

 

The season is short: 5 months max, I would assume

Their plan is only allow 40 golfers on the course per day @ $250/ea.

They have just a handful (I think only 2 or 3?) guest suites available for an overnight stay - so this won't be a huge money-maker either

They have no clubhouse, no restaurant (they had a guy with a smoker on the course), and no other evident revenue streams - hell, they don't even have a liquor license at the moment

 

Anyway, to answer your question: the course is getting there. Everything between the tee and green is about what it should be. My first round there, the greens were virtually unplayable. A few months later, they had come a long way. I'd assume that they'll be pretty darn good this season. The bunkers remained a major weak spot (little-to-no sand, rocks everywhere), but they said they'd have that in order soon, too.

 

Re-reading all of the above, it sounds like a middling review at best. But the experience/setting/layout there is just so fantastic that I left the place with an ear-to-ear smile both times, and I'm optimistic they'll have it in better shape this season.

 

I've never wanted more for a golf course to succeed. 

I agree their current model (and past model) makes no sense and does not seem that it can work. I guess my point is there lots of examples of courses in a similar situation making it work. Hopefully the ownership group has the vision to do it, but it sounds not likely right now. 

[frequentlurker]

2 minutes ago, 2bGood said:

I agree their current model (and past model) makes no sense and does not seem that it can work. I guess my point is there lots of examples of courses in a similar situation making it work. Hopefully the ownership group has the vision to do it, but it sounds not likely right now. 

Unfortunately so.

 

Oh, I guess I would be remiss not to share a link to a video I made there. Enjoy!

[PEI_Golfer]

On 4/3/2022 at 12:14 AM, asofine said:

Unfortunately so.

 

Oh, I guess I would be remiss not to share a link to a video I made there. Enjoy!

I've watched a couple videos on the course and even through the lens I just get the feeling that it would make you feel so small in the surroundings.  Looks so good!

[Golfnuck]

Here is a similar kind of course - Gamble Sands.

 

https://www.gamblesands.com/getting-here

 

Difference is that there are other good courses nearby. 

 

I know Merritt has close access to Kamloops and Kelowna too but not as close as Gamble Sands is to other courses.

 

We stay at their guest cabins for 3 nights and played three rounds.  It was fantastic.

 

No good restaurants nearby except at the golf club so we ate there all 3 days.

 

Not sure how they are doing financially.

[Strategery]

On 4/10/2022 at 9:21 AM, Golfnuck said:

I know Merritt has close access to Kamloops and Kelowna

From Kelowna: 1.5 hr+.

From Kamloops: 1 hr (Not many visitors from here gonna pay $285+tax to play).

From Van: 3.5 hr+.

 

It has been musical chairs with the number of times this property has changed hands since it was built. I see no way this course survives this time around. I'm not a course operator, but it seems to me the only thing they have not tried is a conventionally-priced daily fee course.