Modesto golfers suggested Monday that the city's golf courses are running big deficits because golfers are bypassing Modesto to take advantage of bargains in Manteca and even the privately operated greens at Diablo Grande.The council subcommittee took no action on options to reduce an estimated $400,000 general fund subsidy for the city's golf courses. The options presented to the panel included closing Modesto Municipal Golf How To Solve Putting Problems Course, Dryden Park or both courses.Golfers said they preferred another option — to borrow about $400,000 a year from the general fund to help make the debt payments on the Creekside course until 2023 and then use golf revenue to repay the general fund with interest.The Creekside course near Dry Creek would remain open under the options being considered.The subcommittee, including council members Garrad Marsh, Brad Hawn and Stephanie Burnside, passed the issue to the city's golf committee, which could bring back proposals to the council members in a couple of months. The golf committee will meet in May, but the place and time hasn't been announced.
Marsh said the management structure over Modesto's public courses needs to change so that the facilities are run like a business instead of a government bureaucracy.In the meantime, golf facilities in the Northern San Joaquin Valley are attracting players with aggressive pricing and the Modesto courses simply are not competing, speakers said.Marsh noted that the firm managing the courses can't offer special rates without getting clearance from Parks, Recreation and Neighborhoods. And he said city staff needs to have more flexibility to offer promotions.
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