Turf

super question Q What steps have you taken to attract more golfers? Don Firestone Capitol City Golf Club Olympia, Wash. A. We run a good membership. We don't have a high rate for a public course. Paul Lewis Brookdale Golf Course Tacoma, Wash. A. We lowered our rates. And we're in the process of rebuilding some teeboxes. Jason Woodall Oakway Golf Course Eugene, Ore. A. We haven't taken any steps. We do our best to make the golf course conditions nice and not close the golf course as often as possible for maintenance issues. Kevin Hicks Coeur d'Alene Resort Golf Course Coeur d'Alene, Idaho A. Increasing advertising has been a big one. Increasing advertising is probably number one, because we're concerned about rate integrity. We're tied to a resort hotel and ultimately try to sell more packages. Tacoma, WA Olympia, WA Eugene, OR Coeur d'Alene, ID Dan Rootes Ponderosa Butte Golf Course Colstrip, Mont. A. We are a tax-funded, nine-hole course in a small southeastern Montana town. What we did as a park district was earmark dollars through our mill levy for golfers' green fees.  What happens is essentially everyone in the town is a "member" of the golf course and doesn't pay green fees. Walkers golf for free, and cart customers pay only for the seat on the cart. It has brought a few new people out to the course who normally would not be able to afford the regular fees. Mark Simpson Fountain Springs Golf Course Rapid City, S.D. A. As far as an owner, my biggest thing is public relations, making sure everyone's happy—taking care of the customers. Colstrip, MT Rapid City, SD Tom Unruh Silver Oak Golf Course Carson Carson City, NV City, Nev. A. Be competitive with Fresno, CA price with the best product conditions. We have a new manager, and we haven't done much advertising. This is a competitive region. (Nineteen golf courses are located within 20 miles of Carson City.) Kevin Wiles San Joaquin Golf Course Fresno, Calif. A. We try to keep the golf course in the best condition possible. Kris Johnson Hillside Golf Club Sidney, Neb. A. We've expanded the youth program. We're redoing our tee boxes—adding forward tee boxes for youth and elderly golfers. Sidney, NE Oklahoma City, OK Louis Pugh James E. Stewart Golf Course Oklahoma City, Okla. A. Less weeds. Speeding the greens up and lowering the fairway cut during growing season. Paul Robertson Victoria (British Columbia) Golf Club A. I think our daily set up has attracted players/members! We set the course up like every day is a tournament. We prepare the course every day at a high level and when a big tournament is at the club we don't have to do much tweaking because we ride at such a high level. Also we are in a different market location then most clubs. We are in a resort town with mountains and the ocean all right here, and we can attract players from all over the world! Marty Baumann Anchorage Golf Course Anchorage, Alaska A. We're paying more attention to the details here—raking the sand traps every day. We added laser readers to all our flagsticks. We're rolling the greens every other day now—that's making a big difference. Next issue's Super Question What most concerns you about the future viability of the public golf course? Email your answer to allen@westernturfmag.com or tweet me @AllenThayer1. 30  www.westernturfmag.com

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