COLORADO SPRINGS — From the driving range to the tee box, it was a busy Easter Sunday afternoon at World Golf Center and Sand Creek.
For golfer Justin Childress, it's one spot of many he comes to hit.
"It's addicting, so I play a lot, and my girl doesn't get mad about this hobby," he said. "I've played a ton here at World Golf."
But even with all of these options, Childress and other golfers said Sunday how tee times in Colorado Springs can be hard to come by, especially on weekends.
"I can kind of get in where I fit in," said Childress. "But when you're trying to pla a time for you and your buddies, if you want it before noon, there's a lot that goes into it."
Sand Creek Golf Club member Michael Humphrey said closures of several Colorado Springs golf courses in recent years have played a role in fewer tee times and busier courses.
"It seems like a lot of courses have closed due to water restrictions, so we have fewer options," said Humphrey. "It pushes a lot of people here [to Sand Creek] too. So this place is a lot busier."
World Golf and Sand Creek owner Mark Fontana said the reason some courses closed is because at the time, there wasn't as much demand. He said Colorado Springs has a much more balanced player-to-course ratio at this point.
"We were over built on golf courses nationally, as well as here in Colorado Springs," said Fontana. "Of course the town is growing, and as it grows, we're going to need some more golf courses."
When asked when more courses would need to be added, Fontana said: "I don't know, but [Sand Creek] will be here."
When it comes to growing the game, Fontana said there needs to be more courses that meet the needs of more golfers. He said more options for people of varying skill sets to play would help get even the beginners involved.
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