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By Design
T
here’s a great sense of pride
among the community that
we have a really good golf
course,” says Cliff Keheley, city
manager of Mesquite, Texas.
The municipal course holds a special
place in golfers’ hearts. For some of
us, it may be the one local course
that is accessible and affordable, and
therefore our only opportunity to
enjoy the sport. For others it may be
where we first picked up a club. And
with city-owned courses regularly
featured on pro tour schedules—think
Torrey Pines, Bethpage Black and
Chambers Bay—they even allow us
to walk in the footsteps of our golfing
heroes, an opportunity that is rare in
any other sport.
Throughout the United States—
which, like the UK and Canada, is
one of only a few countries where
municipal golf is widespread—
local governments face common
challenges when providing golf
facilities to their community.
In the case of Mesquite, the city
sought the help of Jeff Brauer, ASGCA
Past President, to deliver a renovation
with an emphasis on value. “We have
a large number of senior golfers,
it was important to maintain an
affordable green fee,” says Keheley.
The initial goal was to rebuild greens
and tee boxes. “But with Jeff’s help,
we were really able to maximize the
budget—we even relocated several
greens to add length, and redesigned
three complete holes which really
changed the character of the course.
We got much more than we expected.”
Keheley explains that upon
completion, play increased
dramatically, surpassing their goals for
numbers of rounds and attracting a lot
of new golfers to the course.
“The key to success with this project
was the relationship with Jeff and
the contractors,” says Keheley. “We
worked together and were committed
to the same goal.”
A sound investment
It is accepted that many recreational
activities provided by local
governments—like basketball
courts, fitness centers and trails—
will incur a cost. But investments in
golf often seem subject to greater
scrutiny. As a result, municipalities
can go long periods without
investing in their courses.
“A typical challenge for municipal
projects is that their infrastructure
has simply worn out,” says Richard
Mandell, ASGCA, who was responsible
for the highly acclaimed 2014
renovation of the historic Keller Golf
Course in Maplewood, Minnesota.
“Municipalities have put a great deal
of emphasis on cutting maintenance
costs, and foregoing capital
expenditure,” says Kevin Norby,
ASGCA, who last year completed
renovation projects at Coal Creek
Golf Course for the City of Louisville,
Colorado, and Elmwood Golf Course
for the City of Sioux Falls, South
Dakota. “But they find themselves
losing golfers due to poor conditions.
So often when they are looking for
help it’s a case of them saying ‘we have
done all we can to cut costs, we are
looking for ways to increase revenue’.”
Renovation projects to repair
infrastructure can deliver the improved
conditions that will not only attract
more golfers, and more revenue, but
also free up resources to focus on
more positive activities. “With new
infrastructure the golf club can start
managing and maintaining the golf
course, rather than constantly fixing
MUNICIPAL GOLF
“
The renovation of Mesquite Golf Course in Mesquite, Texas, prompted a sharp upturn in play
Photos: Jessica Larson