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DEBATE: DOES MANTECA UNDERCHARGE FOR GOLF?
Many round rates going up $2; possible jump in pass prices
bunker
This 2014 photo shows Manteca High’s Justin Morrish blasting his ball out of the greenside bunker on the 14th hole at Manteca Park Golf Course.

Most individual rounds of golf will go up by $2 at the Manteca municipal course.

And depending upon what staff recommends after meeting with players using the course — and the council decides — monthly pass rates may go up as well.

But arguably more important the Manteca City Council Tuesday appears willing to find ways to assure the long-range playability of the course are addressed.

That could include:

*ratcheting up monthly pass fees to be more in line with other courses in the region to generate adequate revenue.

*exploring ways to upfront funds to make needed improvements sooner than later to assure the course remains viable as a community asset.

It may also include some form of general fund subsidy on a smaller scale than in the past. This past year the course didn’t need a subsidy as it showed a surplus of $272,000.

The city has been successfully working to wean the course from needing large general fund subsidies that were routine in the past.

In adopting the new fee schedule the council made it clear they wanted course revenue to generate at least $150,000 a year to start whittling down an identified list of $3.8 million in capital improvements needed over the next 20 years. Expenses such as replacing lawn mowers and maintenance items that have a shorter life span are already covered in budgeting.

The biggest item —$1.5 million to upgrade the outdated and aging irrigation system — is considered key to the continued success of the course.

Mayor Ben Cantu argued the city is failing to generate sufficient funding to make improvements as the course ages.

The council, for the most part, agreed one source of additional funding was working toward bringing monthly pass fees more in align with those at neighboring courses.

Manteca’s adult pass fees for residents are now at $114. The report presented to the council recommends taking them up to $129 not this year but in 2023 due to a pass prices being increased last year.  Non-resident adult monthly passes are at $139 and were proposed to be upped to $159 in 2023.

Currently Manteca is $6 to $56 a month lower when it comes to adult monthly passes than neighboring cities. While Manteca’s charge for its residents is $114 it is $133 at Dryden Park in Modesto,  $170 at Swenson Park in Stockton, and $120 at Micke Grove midway between Stockton and Lodi.

Instead of waiting another year to up monthly passes council instructed staff to return with an alternate plan that would allow the increase to be more incremental and to start this year.

Councilman Charlie Halford said he favors handling all green fees that way. By that he means raising rates on an annual basis to stay on top of costs instead of skipping years and then imposing a much bigger hike.

Such an approach would also have more money flowing in to keep the course in the best shape possible.

Other monthly pass prices that will be looked at by staff as well including the current $99 cost for senior residents. The staff report suggested taking that to $114 in 2023. Senior monthly pass rates are $133 at Dryden Park, $125 at Swenson Park, and $120 at Micke Grove.

Green fees the council Tuesday approved to go into effect this year are as follows:

*$25 weekday for a resident to $27.

*$29 weekday for a non-resident to $31.

*$29 weekend for a resident to $31.

*$34 weekend for a nonresident to $36.

*$21 weekday for a resident senior to $22.

*$21 weekday for a non-resident senior to $22.

*$17 weekday for 9-hole junior to $18.

*$19 weekend for 9-hole junior to $22.

*$19 twilight weekday to $20.

*$20 twilight weekend to $21.

*$14 super twilight weekday to $15.

*$16 super twilight weekend to $17.

Active military at $15 weekday and $17 weekend would remain unchanged as would 18-hole junior players at $12 for weekday and $14 for weekend.

 

To contact Dennis Wyatt, email dwyatt@manteceabulletin.com