Designing golf courses to optimize proximate property values John L. Crompton Department of Recreation, Park and Tourism Sciences, Texas A&M University There has been extraordinary growth in the past decade in the number of golf courses that have been constructed as central components of residential developments. The reasons underlying this growth are discussed. The basic ve alternative congurations of golf courses are described, together with the edge effect which is the key to their differing impact on a development’s property values. There are 26.4 million golfers aged 12 and over in the United States . Approximately 5.4 million ( 22%) of them are ‘avid’ golfers , dened as those who play 25 or more rounds a year; a further 35% are ‘moderates’ ( 8–24 rounds per year ) ; and 43% are ‘occasionals’ ( 1–7 rounds per year ) ( National Golf Fo u n d a- tion , 2000) . In 1999, these golfers played on a total of 16 747 golf courses . This total in- cludes regulation , par-3, and executive length courses . Approximately 70% ( 11 657) of these courses are open to the public ( National Golf Foundation , 2000 ) . In addition , at the end of 1999, there were 1069 courses under con- struction and 708 in the planning stage . The vitality of golf in the United States is exemplied by the data reported in Table 1. Demographic and economic indicators sug- gest this trend will continue . Approximately 40% of golfers report a household income of over $75 000 ( National Golf Foundation , 2000) . The highest per capita golf participa- tion rates are among those in the 50–59 age cohort and the baby boomers are now entering this age group ( McKinsey, 1999) . They are empty nesters; in their peak earning years; close to retirement; and have the economic security of strong private pension funds boosted by the unprecedented in- creases in the stock market in the 1990s . The golf industry expects a ‘natural’ addition of 3–4 million golfers and 100 million rounds over the next decade from these favourable demographics . This translates into an annual growth rate of 1% to 2% ( McKinsey, 1999 ) . Although only 2000 of the golf courses in the United States are part of a residential development , the trend to incorporate them as central features of real estate develop- ments accentuated rapidly in the 1990s when Table 1 Number of golf courses and rounds played in the United States in selected years Year Number of courses Number of rounds (millions) 1970 10 848 266 1980 12 849 358 1990 13 951 502 1999 16 747 564 Source: National Golf Foundtion (2000). Research Summary , National Golf Foundation Jupiter, FL. Managing Leisure 5 , 192–199 ( 2000) Managing Leisure ISSN 1360-6719 print / ISSN 1466-450X online © 2000 Taylor & Francis Lt d http: // www.tandf.co .uk/ journals DOI: 10.1080/ 13606710010001770