Increase Proposed For City Golf But New Plan Includes Several Options To Help Offset Hike In Greens Fees
In an effort to generate more revenue, increase play and simplify the pricing structure at city-owned golf courses, the Spokane Parks and Recreation Department might very well create a run on pocket calculators.
Under the new proposal by the department, residents and non-residents will pay the same for 18-hole greens fees - $18 per round at Esmeralda and Downriver and $22 per round at Indian Canyon and Qualchan.
Those fees represent an increase for county residents of $4 per round at Esmeralda and Downriver and $5.50 per round at Indian Canyon and Qualchan. It does not represent an increase for non-residents.
However, if a local golfer takes advantage of the new discount card or the 25-play pass or even the unlimited-play pass, the increase can be reduced, according to the city’s golf and community development manager Mike Stone. For the non-resident, the new plan should provide a monetary incentive to play the city courses.
The department’s revised 1997 golf fund budget proposal will be presented to the Park Board this afternoon during a 1:30 public meeting in the council chambers at City Hall.
“I think it’s safe to say this is a pricing system that provides plenty of flexibility and options,” Stone said. “We don’t want to mislead anyone and say there are no increases. But, by the same token, you can lessen the amount you’re paying by playing more rounds.”
The changes, Stone said, are driven by efforts to increase next year’s projected golf revenues by $126,300 in order compensate for lower-than-expected revenues this year and to help finance more than $250,000 worth of improvements to city courses.
The new budget figures are based on 207,000 rounds of golf being played at city courses next year. That is 9,000 more than were projected on the preliminary budget proposal and 7,523 more than the record-199,477 that were played in 1994.
Stone said the new proposal aims at paying for the improvements by getting the bulk of the revenue from new players and more rounds of golf.
With the proposed discount card, residents and non-residents will be able to reduce the cost per round to $14 at Esmeralda and Downriver (the same as last season) and $16 at Indian Canyon and Qualchan (50 cents less than last season).
The suggested price for the non-transferable discount card is $20, if purchased before March 1, and $25, if purchased after that date. But Stone stressed those figures are not final and could be lowered.
Mike Kingsley, the golf manager for Spokane County, which competes directly with the city for golf revenues, said the city’s pricing changes would have little or no immediate effect on greens fees at the countyowned courses of Hangman Valley, Liberty Lake and MeadowWood.
He did seemed intrigued, however, by the discount-card concept and its potential to draw repeat customers from outside of Spokane County.
“You feel like you have some ownership in that card,” Kingsley said, “and since you’ve paid for it, you’re probably going to play the city courses rather than some other courses. It’s a pretty good concept.”
Under the new proposed rates, golfers will also have the option of purchasing a 25-play pass for $300. Holders of such a transferable pass can use up to four punches a day and play Esmeralda and Downriver at no additional cost, or the Canyon and Qualchan for a surcharge of $2 per round.
In addition, the new pricing proposal would give golfers the option of purchasing an unlimited pass that requires less up-front money ($200) than this year’s full-season passes, but an additional fee for each round played.
An unlimited pass would let the general public golf for $7 per round at Esmeralda and Downriver, and $9 per round at the Canyon and Qualchan. Seniors would pay $5 at Esmeralda and Downriver and $7 at the Canyon and Qualchan.
, DataTimes