Editor’s note: An earlier version of this story misstated the finances of Eagle Valley Golf Course in Woodbury.

A bad season for golf is coming to an end — and the casualties are piling up.

Three privately owned golf courses in the metro area are closing. City-owned golf courses aren’t doing much better, losing money at an increasing rate.

“Golf is facing pressure,” said Al McMurchie, manager of the Inver Wood Golf Course, the city course in Inver Grove Heights.

With the economic downturn, bad weather and the long-term decline of the sport of golf, metro courses are hitting a rough patch.

“It’s a labor of love, not a labor of making money,” said Tom Ryan, director of the Minnesota Golf Association.

The most immediate problem has been the weather. Because of a cold and rainy spring, the golf season started about six weeks later this year than it did in 2012 — slashing golfing days by about 20 percent.

McMurchie said the short season clobbered private mom-and-pop courses on the fringes of the metro area.

That describes the courses that are going out of business — Hudson Golf Club in Hudson and Red Oaks and Lakeview courses in Mound.

City-owned courses are losing money, too.

According to the Minnesota state auditor’s office, only six city-owned courses out of 40 made money in 2011, the latest year for which data are available. In that year, 85 percent of city-owned courses lost money, up from 75 percent three years earlier. The net loss to Minnesota cities totaled $4.7 million, which was 20 percent more than they lost on running golf courses two years earlier.

On Wednesday, St. Paul officials said losses at the city’s four golf courses this year would be about $1 million.

In Cottage Grove, the city council on Wednesday voted to forgive a $900,000 loan to its golf course and restructure a $1.2 million loan.

Cities are willing to subsidize golf courses because they are seen as community assets, according to the state golf association’s Ryan.

He compared golf courses to trails, parks and baseball diamonds — all of which are publicly supported. “Not every amenity is going to be used by every citizen,” Ryan said.

But the tax-supported subsidies seem unfair to managers of family-owned courses.

“We are competing against cities, which can pull up money every which way,” said Kim Linder, manager of the two golf courses closing in Mound.

“The family has owned them for 58 years,” Linder said. “This is going to be a loss for the community.”

McMurchie said many courses are facing the same kind of generational handoff that plagues other family-owned businesses. “Mom and pop are getting a little older, and the kids are not too interested,” he said. “Exit plans are hard to come by.”

Even though most courses are losing money this year, some city officials say the future may be brighter.

The Woodbury-owned Eagle Valley Golf Course has trimmed costs and will be profitable this year, despite having about $200,000 less in revenue than a year ago. Golf pro Dan Moris said the course will benefit from having less competition, as private courses close down.

Even though the season was short, he said, the Woodbury course saw a 20 percent increase in rounds played per day.

“That is very positive,” Moris said.

Cottage Grove Administrator Ryan Schroeder said the River Oaks Golf course would lose $100,000 this year, but he predicted better times ahead.

He said that for the past 11 years, business at the course has been hurt by construction on the Wakota Bridge and U.S. 61. Those projects are now complete, and public access is greatly improved.

Schroeder predicts the course will not need any more bailouts.

“We feel our performance is better than in many other places,” he said.

Bob Shaw can be reached at 651-228-5433. Follow him at twitter.com/BshawPP.

BIGGEST LOSERS

How much 10 metro cities lost on running golf courses in 2011:

— Inver Grove Heights: $576,000

— Buffalo: $560,000

— Anoka: $499,000

— Chaska: $488,000

— Woodbury: $312,000

— Cottage Grove: $159,000

— Coon Rapids: $129,000

— Edina: $105,000

— New Brighton: $95,000

— Brooklyn Center: $92,000

Source: Minnesota Office of the State Auditor