@Rickochet's story reminds me of one of the city courses in Toledo. Two of the city courses are viable courses and get a lot of play. A third (a 9 holer, only 10 minutes from my house) is not in very good shape and is strictly a “beginners course.” The fourth one used to be an 18 holer, but the city had taken some of the land away to expand its water treatment plant and they were going to just close the rest and let it grow up in weeds.
A group of senior citizens stepped up and offered to maintain and run the course IF it could be open only to seniors. The city took them up on it, and it’s been operating that way for nearly 20 years. My wife and I played there a few years ago, and they charge $5 bucks to walk 9 holes. Not the greatest course in the world, but for what it is, it was in pretty good shape and it evidently does get a lot of play.