Waterview advisory board credits upgrades as council-funded driving-range work begins

Brad Marshall, vice chair of the Waterview Golf Advisory Board, told a Rowlett City Council work session on Nov. 3 that recent maintenance and vendor efforts have produced visible improvements across the Waterview Golf Course, from upgraded greens to working fountains, while the board flagged long-term irrigation and cart-path needs.

The board — led by Chair Larry Glick — said upgrades over the past 18 months have boosted course appearance and playability, and Marshall said course revenue has risen from roughly $1.4 million two decades ago to about $2,550,000 today, with a prediction to surpass $3,000,000 in 2025. “By the time we got the maiden, when we did our presentation, things were starting to look a little bit better,” Marshall said, describing a shift in course condition and management.

Why it matters: the board framed the golf course as an economic engine for Rowlett, noting the Waterview neighborhood contains about 1,744 homes (522 backing the course) and that course-related property values and tourism-style tournament business support city tax revenue and local retail activity. The council previously earmarked $50,000 for driving-range upgrades; Marshall said that money will pay for mats, re-leveling and targets and that American Golf is expected to contribute matching funds.

The presentation listed completed projects — tree cleanup, upgraded TifEagle greens and fairways, concrete hitting pads and new turf mats on the driving range, and landscaping around the clubhouse — and singled out water-quality work: the board noted all course fountains are now running together, improving clarity. Marshall said recirculating pumps are a next step “as we get into the next year and we've got a little bit more money to work with.”

Board concerns focused on aging infrastructure and vendor responsibilities. Speakers said the course has about 2,200 sprinkler heads and that the irrigation system is roughly 25–27 years old; the board estimated a full replacement could cost about $2 million and urged phased, prioritized repairs instead of one-time shutdowns. At a minimum, the board repeated consultant Sandy Queen’s recommendations reflected in a July 21, 2025 irrigation report: hire a full-time irrigation technician and contract outside specialists to address critical ‘red and orange’ heads in play areas. “If that system fails… the greens go,” a board member said, stressing the financial stakes of turf failure.

Board members also urged American Golf — the course operator under contract — to invest in cart-path repairs and to consider GPS-based cart management systems that prevent carts from damaging greens and tee areas. Chair Larry Glick and other members said cart pads have deteriorated and that American Golf has a contractual responsibility to maintain certain course elements; that claim was presented as the board’s position and was not resolved during the session.

Numbers cited by the board: about 40,000–45,000 annual rounds, 41 tournaments in 2024, and pavilion rentals totaling $21,000. Marshall said the board and city are pursuing guidelines for city-funded maintenance and possible joint-funding agreements with American Golf to keep improvements moving forward.

Council reaction was supportive: several participants praised the improvements and encouraged continued oversight. The work session moved on to discussion of the consent agenda for the Nov. 4 council meeting; no consent items were removed for separate consideration, and the session adjourned at 6:54 p.m.

The board left the council with two practical near-term asks: maintain pressure on American Golf to follow Exhibit F management standards in the contract, and prioritize irrigation and cart-path repairs in annual budgets rather than deferring large capital replacements until failure.