Kebo Valley Golf Club in Bar Harbor has come out swinging in an attempt to increase its membership and, in bucking a trend, it seems to be working.

“We have 12 to 15 new members and half are new to the area,” said David Closson, whose job as clubhouse manager includes handling memberships.

“We are picking up members while other [clubs] are losing theirs,” said Closson. “That [decline] is the trend throughout golf. Everybody is after the membership dollars.”

According to the National Golf Foundation, the number of golfers in the U.S. has been basically the same from 2000 through 2004 (the last year for which the NGF has statistics available).

“In talking to other clubs, we’re doing better than most,” said Closson. “Other than Portland Country Club, which may have a waiting list, I don’t think anybody does [have a waiting list].”

Closson said that wasn’t always the case.

“For years we had a waiting list of 30-40 people,” he said.

The current downward swing for clubs happens every 10-12 years, he said.

“In a couple of years, we may look at being full again,” said Closson.

While there used to be a set number for members, that’s not the case now.

“If we have a lot of outside play, then we’ll restrict memberships because they can’t get out and play as much,” Closson said.

Clubs need memberships, though, as a planned source of income.

“We need memberships to carry about 40 percent of the club’s revenue,” Closson said. “We’re pretty close to that right now.”

Kebo is running newspaper, TV, and radio advertising for two reasons.

One is to increase memberships beyond local residents, and the second is to reach out to golfers beyond the Bar Harbor area for daily play.

He said there are two main perceptions the club has to contend with.

“The mystique is that we’re a private club, and we’re not. We’re a public club,” he said.

“The other mystique,” he said, “is that we’re around $1,500 [for an adult single membership] and we’re about half that.”

Kebo’s adult single membership, as listed on its Web site, is $895. That’s $80 more than a nonresident season pass at Bangor Municipal Golf Course and $5 less than Rockland Golf Club, for instance.

“We’re the best deal in golf memberships in Maine,” said Closson. “Our conditions are right up there with the best in the state. We’re annually ranked among the top five clubs in the state [by Golf Digest magazine].”

“And,” he points out, “nobody else in the state can match our history.”

Kebo Valley is the eighth oldest golf course in the country and the second oldest resort course. It opened as a club in 1888 and put in its first golf holes three years later.

Closson said that, even with the impressive credentials, “We’re very much a player-friendly club. We want the people of the community to be able to play us.”

Tin Mountain Roundup

Sugarloaf Golf Club in Carrabassett Valley has scheduled its fifth annual Tin Mountain Roundup for June 2-4.

Golfers who bring at least three canned food items to the course on those three days can play for $32, cart included.

More than 2,100 cans were contributed during last year’s roundup. The food is given to the United Methodist Economic Ministry, which distributes the food to deserving families in the community.

Tee times are required in advance and can be made by calling 1-800-THELOAF.

Dave Barber can be reached at 990-8170, 1-800-310-8600, or by e-mail at dbarber@bangordailynews.net.