The Indiana Golf Course Owners were successful in changing golf course property tax legislation in 2009 with the passing of House Bill 1447 which allowed for the use of the income approach to golf course valuations. 

Tony Krebs, PGA/Owner of Black Squirrel Golf Course in Goshen, Indiana says of the new legislation, "The new law has already saved me nearly $50,000 on my 2009 and 2010 tax bills, which I intend to use for some badly needed turf equipment.: 

Check with your local assessor regarding the new procedures or call the Association office at 765.490.5997 for additional information regarding this break through legislation.

The Indiana Golf Course Owners Asociation continue to seek changes and is currently asking for consideration of the 2% cap on property tax values for golf courses as a part of new property tax legislation citing:

• In golf, large tracts of land are involved. They are rolling, watershed, non-farmable land which often would be wasteland if not for golf.
• Golf land is used seasonally, as is farm land which is included in the 2% cap category. It is estimated 90% of revenue is generated in just six months of the year.
• Golf courses across the country are selling at huge discount....player fees are being slashed and some estimates suggest values have dropped by 50% since early 2000, when the slow down began. In many cases, golf courses were built to develop home sites and thereby created enhanced values of the surrounding landscape for tax purpose. Still the golf course suffers.
• The number of acres, or the improvements contained in the golf course, are unimportant in determining the value. Only the profit statement of the business can do that.
• Some county assessors, and even those hired to do the appraisals, refuse to consider the "income approach" for valuation of golf courses.
• Across the State, we compete with municipal, county, state and non-profit entities operating golf courses that pay no property tax, have no incentive to be profitable, and use our tax dollars against us.

Summation
We are asking for consideration of the 2% cap for an industry that offers a huge asset to the State of Indiana, on an uneven playing field.

To complete our Property Tax Survery please click here.