Quail Ridge Golf Course in Winfield is currently undergoing management changes in hopes of increasing revenue for the publicly-owned course.
City manager Jeremy Willmoth said this week that the city is in the midst of a search for a PGA professional to manage the course. The golf course’s former manager, Jim Wheatcroft, retired at the beginning of September.
Until a few years ago, Quail Ridge was managed by a PGA pro and their assistant. Willmoth said he thinks the course can save money by going back to that model, having fewer seasonal employees and generating more revenue.
“I looked at the current way we’re managing the organization and decided that there is probably a more economical way to run it,” he said. “The golf course gets a considerable subsidy. Anything that government touches is going to have some level of subsidy so that we can make sure that it’s affordable for the people. But we’re also going to make sure that we’re managing it the most efficient way possible.”
Wheatcroft’s salary was at $47,000 at the time of his departure. The city expects to pay between $43,000 and $63,000, depending on experience, for a PGA Pro.
Brad Sexson, retired Southwestern College golf coach, is interim manager at the course. Sexson is a PGA Pro and candidate for the course manager job.
The city went away from requiring the manager to be a PGA Pro, Willmoth said, probably as a way to save money. Willmoth expects to offer a new manager a performance-based bonus tied to revenue.
He said he is concerned by the amount the city pays to subsidize the course beyond the revenue the facility brings in. In 2015, the course subsidy was around $250,000.
An audit for 2016 has not been completed, but Willmoth expects the subsidy amount to remain about the same.
The hope is the city can improve the experience for more serious golfers while at the same time attracting less experienced adult and youth players. Course staff have also experimented with social media, and discounts, as a way to connect with potential golfers.
