Nancy, Carol and others hold similar views.  But I think theres shrinking interest overall in the game.  Its been pointed out in earlier postings that players are aging and interest in the game among younger folks has declined. If all those golfers who left OP are playing elsewhere, why are other local courses also feeling the pinch??  Pine Shore has closed, and the course back the road behind Adkins Hardware has transferred ownership to WorWic Comm College.  I've heard that was also due to finincial difficulties  Eagles Landing is struggling to stay at breaking even.  Wide spread problems in golfing are occurring, so I don't agree with the idea that enough numbers of OP folks are just playing elsewhere.  Thats really not the heart of the problem, in my view.

I'm attributing this to a national trend. Here's some statisitis to support what i'm saying, from the NGF (National Golf Foundation)  Click Here

Quoting from the article "U.S. golf course openings remain at historic lows, as NGF recorded only 13.5 openings in 2012, compared to 154.5 golf course closures, measured in 18-hole equivalents"

Also " NGF projects that golf course openings will remain at 20 or fewer per year for the forseeable future, while annual closures are expected to continue in the 150-180 range." These are both qoutes from a golfing trade organization.

Its a sign of the times. Not merely something OP is managing wrongly, or not publicizing enough, or not maintaining, or tee times, or poor grass, or walking fees, or whatever.  Norm Katz has mention years and years of OP boards and GM's and golf advisory groups trying to generate improvement. But the declining trend has persisted, despite all those efforts. 

Yes, there are some OP folks playing elsewhere.  But overall, it seems more likely theres a big declining participation everywhere, as the major factor at work against the industry. 

Seems theres some pretty big handwriting on the wall that OP is facing ??? 

Tom