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Home My Public Portal About2022 Annual Report Golf Course Advisory CommitteeGolf Course Advisory Committee 2021 Annual Report to McCall City Council February, 2022 New Entrance Sign One of the most visible improvements implemented this year was a new Entrance Sign. This project had been discussed by the Advisory Committee for numerous years and a design had been developed but funding seemed to be holding up the project. The committee recommended utilizing the marketing budget, which was designated for golf show attendance and exhibiting, but was not spent due to Covid cancellations. The final result is a beautiful entrance way to the golf course highly visible from Fairway Drive. In the past, the entrance sign was so small and insignificant that first time visitors or players actually missed the turn into the golf course. This first impression adds to the overall beauty and experience that the city golf course provides to the community. We reported a record year in 2020 in terms of total revenue and total rounds played. It seemed that it could be an unusually successful year due to the pandemic and the pent-up desire to get outside and participate safely in a sport outdoors. We are extremely pleased to announce that 2021 revenues exceeded 2020 and we have now recorded a new record year in the course’s entire history. The following chart reflects the actual numbers for the past 5 years of operation: YEARS 2017 2018 2019 2020 2021 Total Rev 634 K 708 K 697 K 855 K 1,022 K Total Rounds 32,219 29,130 26,652 32,521 40,559 This success is attributed to a number of factors, but first and foremost, the course is beautifully maintained and provides an excellent golfing experience to players of all levels. Our city course can compete with many private courses which operate with less constraints in terms of budgets and staffing. Other success factors include proper planning and preventive maintenance, a regional population boom, an experienced management team, a friendly pro shop and the cooperation of Mother Nature. Again we want to recognize the outstanding work and dedication of the golf course director, the club professional and their respective staffs. Few people realize the work that goes into behind the scenes, including long hours and unusual working shifts that make all of this possible, but the Advisory Committee does and congratulates everyone who contributed to this past successful year. Budget Workshop On September 1, the City and the Advisory Committee hosted a first ever Open House event at the golf course. The purpose of this event was to allow a transparent sharing of budgeting and funding for the golf course. It was also designed for a free interaction of discussions and concerns regarding the future plans for the course. The Master Plan was available to review and David Druzisky, the golf course architect and author of the Plan, was available for questions and interaction. This event was open to everyone, not just the golfing community. It was a successful endeavor and responses from attendees were tabulated to identify the public’s top priorities for the golf course. We highly recommend to continue this Open House as an annual event to engage dialogue among the golfers, the city administration, the golf course management and the advisory committee. Master Project List Over recent years there have been numerous projects identified, both large and small, that need to be addressed and planned for the future. Some of these projects are on the 5-year Plan, some are on the Capital Improvement Plan, some are LOT projects, some are now addressed in the Master Plan and some are part on the annual operations budget. In order to keep track of all projects, a Master Golf Course Project List was developed. This list tracks the cost estimate, the funding source, the planned start date and the actual completion date. This is a dynamic list and provides a beneficial tool to the Committee and Management to keep track and facilitate priorities for needed improvements. Projects in 2020 This past year proved to be busy and productive at the golf course. In addition to the regularly scheduled projects that course maintenance requires, and the unexpected projects due to equipment and infrastructure failure, a number of improvements were completed and/or started. This includes the following: New Entrance Sign Repaved and Improved Parking Lot Underground Conduit for future electrical and water throughout parking lot New camera and speakers at driving range Bridge repairs at Cedar #4 Preparation for new clubhouse entrance Completion of projects at the Maintenance Building Additional Improvements The MLGA (McCall Ladies Golf Association) has been planning a community gathering project that includes pavers, benches and a canopy. The concept combines a place to capture and enjoy the golf course ambiance and also provide a way to commemorate and/or memorialize community members who have a passion or connection to our golf course. Enough pavers have been sold to commence the project and the golf maintenance staff have prepared the site so construction can begin in the spring of 2022. The Men’s Association has been wanting to improve the scoreboard that is utilized during tournaments. As a beginning to this endeavor, they have engaged an architecture student from the University of Idaho to design a tournament scoreboard which will enhance the overall tournament golfer’s experience. Popular Attributes There are many improvements and/or programs that have been implemented over the past years, which keep improving and are very popular today. These include: Restaurant and bar operation are high quality and well patronized throughout the entire year. Tournaments are well run and have become so popular that many tournaments fill up at the beginning of the year when registration opens, and most tournaments have a waiting list to enter. The three practice facilities are used heavily during the season. Note the driving range has a small fee but the other practice facilities are free to the public. During off season the cart paths for walkers, runners, bikers and dog walkers are very busy and seem to grow in popularity every year Please keep in mind all of these activities have continued throughout Covid restrictions. And because they can all be enjoyed outside, they offer a safe way to recreated during the pandemic. Future Golf Business Model The City’s contract with the Golf Professional will terminate at the end of October, 2022. It is prudent to start planning for the future and determine the best operating model for the city in terms of revenue and whether the golf professional and his staff should be city employees. The Committee is proceeding to investigate other city owned golf courses and to make recommendations to the city regarding the optimum scenario which has proven successful in other locations primarily throughout Idaho. More to follow on the progress of this effort. Advisory Committee Responsibilities The committee continues to meet on a monthly basis and discuss/make recommendations in accordance with the Mission Statement that acts as the committee’s bylaws. In addition to making recommendations for improvements and identifying necessary projects that enhance the golf course operations, the committee has assisted in the accomplishments outlined in this report. The committee’s minimal responsibilities include the following: Make recommendations on current rates and fees Review and make recommendations to the Marketing Plan Review and make recommendations to the Golf Course Rules and Regs Review and make recommendations to the Golf Course Budget Review the Golf Professional’s contract annually for compliance Develop a 5-year Plan Review Tournament Schedules and make recommendations/or approve Develop plans for LOT submittals