Joan Kuzniar is learning how to golf, but already loves it. The Bronx resident practices at Mosholu, one of the city's thirteen municipal courses.

"The best part is when you hit the ball and you connect, and you see it go kind of in the right direction," she said.

But the number of golfers using city courses is not on the upswing.

Earlier this year, NY1 reported that the number of golfers playing at Trump Golf Links at Ferry Point, the city-owned course in the Bronx operated by President Trump's company, has fallen every year since it opened in 2015, just before Donald Trump began running for the White House. 

Turns out, the declines at Trump Golf Links mirror a citywide trend: The number of rounds played at all municipal courses each year has fallen by 15 percent since 2015, to 526,000 in the most recent year, figures obtained by NY1 show. And annual revenue has slipped by $4 million, or more than 9 percent. 

So why aren't the numbers in the green?

“You are looking at well north of five hours on a summer weekend out there, and that's a pretty big ask," said Golfweek Columnist Eamon Lynch.

Analysts blame everything from golf's slow pace and degree of difficulty, to ever-rising greens fees.

Golf columnist Eamon Lynch says participation levels have stabilized nationally, but acknowledges the sport has been struggling.

Over the past year, according to governing.com, more than a half-dozen cities including Detroit and Houston have closed public courses and more shutdowns may follow.

Some experts also say traditional golf courses are competing with other variations of the sport — such as Top Golf.

Top Golf is a combination of traditional golf, and video gaming. Players score points by hitting micro-chipped golf balls at targets on a field.

“It’s more of a party, people go socialize they have drinks with their friends, they have food out there they have a lot of fun," said Lynch.

The city's parks department, which oversees New York's municipal courses, downplays the decline in golfers using them, saying the sport's popularity naturally ebbs and flows.

So far, the decline has not hurt taxpayers. The department says the courses generated $8.6 million for the city in the most recent budget year, an increase of about $400,000 over the previous 12 months.

But analysts say whether or not the courses can remain financially up to par in the long-term may rely upon the sport's ability to draw in new players.