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Sun City West golf committee backs fee changes, rejects range-ball and trail-fee proposals
Summary
After a multi-hour presentation on the FY2025–26 golf budget, the Sun City West Golf Committee agreed to move a set of recommended rate adjustments to produce targeted revenue while declining proposals to raise range-ball prices or add a trail fee for nonmembers.
The Sun City West Golf Committee on March 13 reviewed the proposed FY2025–26 golf operating budget and reached a consensus recommendation to adjust selected greens fees rather than adopt proposed increases to range-ball prices or a new trail fee for nonmember golfers.
Committee members heard Cliff Swan present the budget outlook and revenue targets for the golf division. Swan said staff budgeted 320,000 rounds for the fiscal year and projected the division would end the current year close to budget after modest revenue shortfalls and expense savings. To meet an approximate $400,000 revenue target in the operating budget, staff proposed a mix of small fee increases and other changes.
The discussion focused on a staff proposal that included: a $1 increase for members during the transition season, a $3 increase for nonmembers during transition, and an additional nonmember increase in peak season to generate the bulk of the needed revenue. After extended discussion the committee agreed by consensus not to increase range-ball prices at the driving-range machines and not to adopt the proposed $3 “trail fee” charged when a nonmember does not rent a cart. Instead the group directed staff to implement the fee adjustments discussed (member transition +$1; nonmember transition +$3; nonmember peak increase as discussed) and return with final wording and the exact fee schedule for governing-board approval as part of the budget process.
Swan explained the rationale for the choices. He said members generate about 260,000 rounds annually and nonmembers about 60,000; small changes to peak-season nonmember rates have a disproportionate revenue impact because many nonmember rounds occur in peak months. He also outlined other proposed revenue levers discussed at length, including an increase to range-ball buckets (from $3 to $4) and a $3 trail fee for nonmembers who do not rent a cart. Several committee members warned that raising range-ball charges or imposing a trail fee would draw community pushback or be hard to enforce, and multiple members preferred raising greens fees targeted at outside play.
Swan and committee members also reviewed card products (Unlimited, Kachina, Coyote and twilight cards), seasonal round counts, and average revenue per round by card type. The committee asked staff to prepare final fee language and a clear public explanation for the governing board; staff said they would include the recommended changes in the budget materials and return with precise figures.
The committee did not take a formal recorded roll-call vote on the fee changes; members described the group’s direction as a consensus recommendation to staff to prepare the increases described. The governing board will receive the budget and any fee changes for final approval.
Ending: Staff will finalize the precise fee schedule and include it with the FY2025–26 budget materials for the governing board to consider; the committee expected the finalized numbers to return in advance of that meeting.
