City hears fourth-quarter and full-year report on municipal golf course; rounds down slightly, revenues flat

Mayor Ronnie Price opened the presentation of the municipal golf course fourth-quarter and full-year 2024 report, delivered by the course manager, Stuntz. The report compared 2024 performance with 2023 and detailed recent capital improvements and operational changes.

Stuntz told the council that rounds played were down slightly in 2024 compared with 2023, marking the first year in five that the course did not post an increase. He said the course played roughly 13,000 rounds in 2024 compared with about 14,000 the previous year and that revenue remained “about flat.” Stuntz said price increases of roughly $1 per nine holes for greens or carts had helped maintain revenue levels.

Stuntz credited a major improvement to the irrigation mainline with protecting turf health and reducing emergency reliance on water trucks when the old system failed. He said the city moved from buying one piece of maintenance equipment per year to a lease-purchase arrangement to improve operational efficiency; that equipment was in the process of arriving.

Council members noted details from the packet and accompanying memo. Council member Mike Warrington asked about annual passes appearing as zero in the fourth-quarter worksheet; Stuntz clarified those figures were quarterly sales and said the total number of annual passes for the year was about 4,061, roughly seven fewer than 2023. The memo included the membership list but not in the packet itself, Stuntz said.

Stuntz said play had increased in recent weeks after a slow winter and that public feedback on course conditions has been positive. He noted small turf changes such as ryegrass applications that were visible from the roadway.

No formal action was taken; the item was presented as an informational report.