Change On Way For County Golfers New Policies Concerning How To Get Tee Times Give Equal Chances To Golfers Throughout Region

Most golfers are going to be thrilled with policy changes at Spokane County-owned courses. Men’s club members, however, are going to feel like they just made double-bogey.

Starting Saturday, most 7-9:30 a.m. weekend tee times, reserved the past 11 years for club members, will open up to everyone.

And instead of taking reservations for tee times by telephone one morning per week, the county’s three courses will set aside two mornings and will prohibit in-person reservations until after 9 a.m.

The changes mean all golfers will have an equal shot at tee times, particularly those coveted weekend spots, said Fran Boxer, the county’s assistant chief administrative officer.

“Special-interest groups should not get preferred tee times,” Boxer said. “They should join a country club if that’s what they want.”

Here are the changes:

Members of men’s and women’s clubs now will get tee times only on two weekend mornings per month, instead of every weekend morning.

Starting at 7 a.m. on Tuesdays, the county will reserve tee times for the following weekdays via telephone. Reservations will not be taken over the counter until 9 a.m. This takes away the advantage of golfers who live near the courses.

Starting at 7 a.m. on Saturdays, the county will reserve tee times for the following weekends via telephone. Counter reservations start at 9 a.m.

In the past, people have lined up at the golf courses as early as 5 a.m., sometimes stacking counters 50 deep, while callers got busy signals at MeadowWood, Hangman Valley and Liberty Lake, officials said.

“I’ve had people tell me they couldn’t get Saturday tee times at MeadowWood for two years,” Boxer said. “The crucial issue is fairness to the entire golfing community.”

Jill Grover, president of the MeadowWood women’s club, said women have been excluded from weekend morning tee times since 1985, so any change is considered an improvement.

Grover, who also is a member of the county’s citizen golf advisory committee, applauded the new policies.

“Change is hard to take, but we all have to buck up and take it,” she said. “We need to allow everybody to play golf and everybody to have equal access …”

Tom Haft, president of the Liberty Lake men’s club, said the changes will have little impact at his course. That’s because of the estimated 300 members in his club, only 15 or so are frequent weekend players.

“I can see where it will really affect MeadowWood and Hangman,” Haft said. “They have these big men’s clubs.”

Men’s club officers at Hangman and MeadowWood, which has an estimated 600 members, could not be reached for comment.

County golf manager Mike Kingsley agrees that the policy changes are in the best interest of the general public but worries about the reaction from the clubs.

“The men’s clubs have done a lot for us and I’d hate to turn our back on them,” he said. “They have a valid point that, ‘Hey, we’re the public, too.”’

Thomas Krzyminski, a golf advisory committee member, said ultimately the masses will benefit.

“If you live out north, you still have the same chance as the guy who lives across the street from the course,” he said.

, DataTimes MEMO: This sidebar appeared with the story: STARTING SLOW Spokane city and county golf courses are easing into springtime with some partial openings. Liberty Lake is open on temporary greens and taking tee times for weekend play, while its neighbor course, MeadowWood, is looking toward a Friday opening on all but one permanent green. Hangman Valley, damaged during recent floods, may open on nine holes the first of April. Esmeralda was scheduled to open today on all temporaries, and The Creek at Qualchan will open the front nine on permanent greens Saturday.