By Bill Peloza
For the Auburn Reporter

In response to the Jan. 20 Auburn Reporter article, “Golf course remains in the rough,” the reporter didn’t reflect the other side of the Auburn Golf Course story.

The City Municipal Services Committee has been tracking the performance of the golf course for several years. In this time, the City has reduced staff and made other business adjustments because of poor weather seasons and the economy in general.

Other golf courses in the area, both municipal and private, have suffered the same downturns in their business base, thus having to turn to other financial means to keep the ship afloat and above par.

In Auburn, we are blessed to have a wonderful golf course that is viewed by the whole region as an oasis green belt near a scenic Green River. The course has a talented golf superintendent in Kevin Van and crew who have implemented many golf architectural design improvements within reasonable costs to the golf course budget.

The course was created by a group of private citizens who spent many days and hours nurturing old pastureland. After the City purchased the course, it spent millions of dollars over the years upgrading the course to provide better play, including building a new golf course facility for its customers.

The Municipal Services Committee – in collaboration with Mayor Pete Lewis – has discussed the challenges of the golf course, beset by conditions of nature and the economy. Many staff meetings have been held dealing with the total golf course operation, including the restaurant.

Changes began several months ago to turn around the operation into the enterprise profit center it once was before the hard times. Many of the changes that were recommended by the hired National Golf Foundation (NGF) consultant were similar to City staff’s, and management implemented changes.

All of the problems addressed in the Auburn Reporter article don’t deal entirely with what “golfers” want to eat or drink. The golf course has implemented improvements in providing a fast-food breakfast venue.

The course operation does provide a food “turn window,” roving food/refreshment 18-hole cart service, plus food and pro shop discounts.

The course is experiencing more golf tournaments since the new clubhouse has been in operation. The mayor’s staff has made adjustments to marketing and total operations.

In summary, any operation or business has its skeptics, nothing is perfect. But we will see an improvement in the months ahead by implementing planned City changes, as well as NGF recommendations.

The NGF report comments were that the golf course has “good quality amenities” and “reflects very positive on the city’s image” as a whole.

The Municipal Services Committee is committed to seeing that a revised golf course business plan is brought forth in the coming months to ensure financial stability and sustainability of the Auburn Golf Course.

Bill Peloza is an Auburn City councilmember and City Municipal Services chair. Reach him at bpeloza@auburnwa.gov.