Cromwell Golf Club board chairman John Olssen is optimistic about the future of the club, even though the Cromwell Community Board has turned down the club's proposal that the community board buy the 25ha, nine-hole course for $5 million.
The club, which has run at a loss for the last three years, wanted to free up its assets to upgrade the clubhouse.
The Deloitte report on the proposal commissioned by the community board was typical of most planning exercises, in that by the time the report was completed, most of the issues were being dealt with.
The report also contained many plans and ideas already adopted by the club, Mr Olssen said.
The Deloitte report said the club would break even this year, although it would be $30,000 "cash-negative" due to loan repayments and purchase of the pro shop stock.
Facilities were also in need of maintenance and upgrading.
The club had approached the board earlier this year offering to sell the land for $5 million to help finance the upgrade of the clubhouse.
The club would then lease the course land back.
Community board chairman Neil Gillespie said the Deloitte report indicated the board should say "no".
Membership issues, increasing costs and decreasing returns were affecting the club, much the same as other golf clubs around the country, the report said.
Golf club membership nationwide had been dropping for the past five years at the rate of about 2% per annum, although Otago was bucking the trend by showing a 7% increase.
Risks facing the club included the changing work/life balance, changing golfing demands, the population demographic and an ageing membership base, rising costs and the potential decline in tourism numbers.
Mr Olssen said the club had already changed its green fee structure and introduced a golf package deal which would provide a tourist with clubs, a golf cart and a meal.
