The East Bay Golf Course will ring in the new year on its cash registers now that the City Council has approved almost a 10 percent increase in fees.
Beginning Jan. 1, a nine-hole round of golf will be $5 for adults and $4.50 for seniors and juniors instead of $4.50 and $4 respectively.A nine-hole round on the executive course will be less expensive ($4) as a means of giving younger golfers a chance to learn and to free up the regular course for more experienced golfers, LeRoy Dennis, director of Parks and Recreation said at Tuesday's council meeting.
Five-day adult season passes will be up $180 from $165. Five-day passes for juniors and seniors will be $140 instead of $125. Seven-day season passes for adults are $250 instead of $225.
Joint season passes have been omitted because the golf course had few requests for the pass, Dennis said.
In 1989, however, punch tickets will be featured. Golfers may purchase 20 nine-hole rounds for $80 for adults and $60 for seniors and juniors.
With the punch ticket, golfers do not have to invest a large amount of money into a season pass and can use the reduced rate pass whenever they want to, he said. The tickets are transferable.
"Several courses have had some success with that system and we thought we would try it. It's great for visitors. It will bring a different clientele to the course."
The main reason for the increase is to get revenues at the course closer to the expenditures, Dennis said. The increase also keeps up with the current market in fees throughout the state.
"The golf course has never paid for itself and is still being subsidized by the city's general fund," he said. "To my knowledge most of the courses in Utah Valley are not paying for themselves because we are overbuilt on golf courses. We will be closer with the increase."
Mayor Joseph Jenkins said the city subsidizes the golf course with about $100,000 annually. City officials hope to break even by 1996.
Council members expressed concern that golfers would go elsewhere if the city raised fees, but Jenkins said the rates are the same at other courses and the East Bay Golf Course is newer.
Golf course fees in Spanish Fork and Payson will be lower than Provo's increased fee, but Hobble Creek and a number of other courses across the Wasatch Front are the same price or are more expensive.
Jenkins pointed out that play at East Bay has increased 4,000 rounds since the new course opened three years ago.
Council member Gordon Bullock said, "I don't foresee any difficulty in a minor increase. Compared with other courses in the area, I feel good to make this minor adjustment in fees."
All passes and punch tickets are available for Christmas gift giving at the golf course, Dennis said.