Guilford Lakes Golf Course Having Best Year in Many Years

GUILFORD, CT – Only a few years ago those who oversaw the operations of the Guilford Lakes Golf Course were wondering if the community facility would ever turn a profit.

Officials back then decided to get aggressive in the goal of turning the course’s situation around. They did two things: hire a golf pro to oversee operations; and, then subsequently launch an extensive social media campaign to market the golf course.

And though all the numbers for the golfing season of 2018 aren’t yet in, it seems both moves have proved fruitful and the course is headed in the right (profitable) direction.

At the July meeting of Guilford Lakes Golf Course Commission, head pro Mike Papp reported that he “was seeing lots of new faces at the course.”

He estimated there up to 20 new golfers a week trying out the links.

On the marketing side, the contractor the golf commission/head pro hired for $500 per month to market the golf course on social media reported that in the past six months the site has seen more than 20,000 views, targeting golfers in the greater New Haven area.

A junior golf camp run by Papp has also been doing quite well, the head pro reported.

The commission at its July meeting extended the contract of Digital Process Media to run its social media site and Commission Chairman Christopher Hodgson “and the entire commission thanked Mike Papp for the great job done this year.”

Papp, who has been the golf professional at a golf course in Sherman, Connecticut, among others, was hired by the Guilford Lakes Golf Course Commission for this golf year to try and get the course moving in the right directiion.

He was paid $25,000 and works at the course from April 1-November 15th.

The 18-year-old golf course is popular – more than 13,000 players used it in 2016. But, it hasn't, in the past, been a money-maker for Guilford.

Photo by Jack Kramer

To sign up for Guilford breaking news alerts: https://patch.com/connecticut/guilford/subscribe