Golf courses lost more than $1M, says P.E.I.

More than $1 million from a cabinet-approved warrant to Tourism P.E.I. is going to cover a projected revenue shortfall from the provincially run golf courses.

Tourism Minister Robert Henderson said government over-estimated how much money the four golf courses would bring in.

He said there are a number of reasons for the shortfall.

"The weather wasn't quite what we would have liked to have seen in June, July and early August. It is pretty hard to golf in the rain so they cancelled their bookings would be one situation," Henderson said.

The P.E.I. cabinet approved the special warrant last week to Tourism PEI of close to $1.4 million —  $1.1 million going to the golf courses to make up for the lost revenue.

"I think the economy played a little bit of a role in that — people maybe just didn't have the money. I think you saw also a case where most of the revenue declines were really around memberships that are for provincial golf courses," he said. "When the weather was a little bit poorer, people decided not to join and get a membership."

He also said it's not the first time the courses haven't brought in as much money as expected. When the budget is being drawn up this year, he said the projected revenue will likely be more in line with what has happened over the last few years.

Henderson said he knows some people think government should lower its green fees as a way of attracting more golfers, but he said that would likely have a negative impact on privately run courses.