In an era when most teenagers would rather pick up a phone than a golf bag, youth caddying has been fighting to stay as relevant as it was in years past. However, organizations like the Solich Caddie & Leadership Academy, Youth on Course Caddie Academy and the Western Golf Association’s Carry the Game advocacy group are helping to put more bags on more shoulders every year.

The story of public golf in Detroit hasn’t been so rosy in recent years, but three area courses are rewriting their history. At Rackham, Chandler and Rouge Park, revenue is up 27% since last year. Here are some reasons why.

There's often surprise expressed by journalists, politicians and the general public that a municipal golf course, or system of courses, might actually “lose” money for a government entity. But making money isn't the primary motivation that drives a municipality to offer golf as recreation for its residents. Still, the reality is that the majority – about 67 percent -- of public-agency golf courses and facilities report making enough revenue to cover all on-site operating expenses.