Greens fees may go up in Overland Park

Before heading out to one of Overland Park’s municipal golf courses for the first time next year, you might need to add something to your checklist – more cash.

Patrons of the city’s courses are being asked this fall which they would prefer – low greens fees or substantial course improvements. Depending on the responses, a weekend golf outing might cost $7 or $8 more starting in January.

If approved as proposed, the change would represent the largest package of single-year rate increases perhaps ever implemented by the city.

A public hearing on the rate issue will be held at 7 tonight, Oct. 1, at the St. Andrews Golf Course Clubhouse, 11099 W. 135th St.

Greens fees in past years have gone up no more than a dollar or two. If the proposal for 2009 is adopted, weekend rates would go up $7 for non-patrons and $8 for patrons. Weekday rates would rise $1 to $3.

Sandy Queen, Overland Park’s manager of golf course operations, said that at minimum a $1 across-the-board rate increase will go into effect next year just to keep facilities as they are.

"The spiraling cost of maintaining golf courses has caught up with us. Our $75,000 in fuel costs alone this year are double what we paid the previous year," Queen said.

The city has gas golf carts, but is converting to electric vehicles.

The proposed rate hikes might encounter resistance, but Queen said the golf course’s advisory committee wanted to consider something significant.

"We decided if we’re going to rock the boat then we’re really going to give (patrons) something to think about," he said.

The city maintains two full-sized golf courses and one nine-hole par-three course. In recent years, the St. Andrew’s course has seen significant changes. A new clubhouse opened in 1997, and a substantial course redesign completed this year has drawn praise and increased play. The course, which Queen said once was considered "the stepchild" of the city’s layouts, now is the most popular course in the metropolitan area in terms of rounds played.

Now, the Overland Park Golf Course at 12501 Quivira Road could be getting its turn.

While no dramatic course redesign is in the works, the city is contemplating construction of a new clubhouse, repair and replacement of cracked and broken cart paths and sidewalks, installation of new tee boxes, irrigation system improvements, a bridge re-construction, and new fencing. The current clubhouse has one-third the usable square footage that exists at St. Andrew’s.

The success at St. Andrews is driving interest in a makeover for the new stepchild.

"The Overland Park Golf Course is 40-something years old, and it’s becoming outdated," Queen said. "There’s a little bit of envy. That, and Johnson County players expect to have higher quality. Historically, they have been willing to pay for it."

Queen stresses that nothing in terms of rates or improvements is predetermined.

"Someone told us, ‘You’ve probably got your minds made up.’ Nothing could be further from the truth. Even if I was king," Queen said, "I wouldn’t do this without input."

Once sufficient input has been gathered, the advisory committee will meet to discuss its proposal and make revisions based on what patrons have said. Subsequently, another public hearing will be held to gain feedback on the revised plan, Queen said.

Any rate increase proposal would need to be reviewed and approved by the City Council.

If the primary course changes and rate hikes are adopted as proposed, the projects would be funded by a $3 million bond issue that could be paid off in three years, Queen said.

Overland Park’s golf rates have been highly competitive over the years. In a recent survey, the city found that its $17 weekend rate for patron card holders was the lowest among 37 metropolitan area golf courses. A patron card costs Overland Park residents $45. Non-patrons pay a weekend rate of $28.

For more information, call 327-6631.

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