Morale, Welfare, and Recreation

This fact sheet provides information on golf courses at 10 military bases. GAO discusses (1) the number of golf courses operated, the year built, and the type of funds used to finance the construction; (2) the extent that the courses have 9 or 18 holes, pro shops, and restaurants and who managed them; (3) financial information, including nonappropriated funds generated, net profit and loss for fiscal years 1992 and 1993, and the amount of appropriated funding used to operate and maintain the courses; (4) fee schedules; and (5) the policy at each base on access to golf courses and other Morale, Welfare, and Recreation activities.

GAO found that: (1) the Department of Defense (DOD) built 14 golf courses at the bases between 1927 and 1992; (2) DOD built one course with appropriated funds, two courses with nonappropriated funds, four with a mixture of funds, and three with funds from unknown sources; (3) one base is constructing a course with nonappropriated funds; (4) another base plans to fund renovations with nonappropriated funds; (5) all 10 bases have golf course facilities, most of which are operated by civilians paid with nonappropriated funds; (6) in fiscal years (FY) 1992 and 1993, all of the golf courses generated at least $175,000 in revenue, and all but two bases showed net profits from their golf courses; (7) in FY 1992 and 1993, two bases used appropriated funds for maintenance, sewage, and repairs; (8) fees at all of the bases were similar, with officers paying slightly more than and other patrons paying almost double what enlisted personnel paid; and (9) the bases' course access policies varied.