Reaching Bowden’s potential will take commitment, golf course architect says

A makeover and better marketing could turn Bowden Golf Course into a more attractive setting for golfers, officials were told Tuesday.

The latest conversation among officials on Bowden’s future was held during Macon-Bibb County Commission committee meetings. After the talks, the Facilities and Engineering Committee moved ahead with a resolution to seek proposals for managing and/or leasing the county’s lone public golf course.

The measure was approved after several commissioners rejected the option of selling the east Macon property. Officials and others discussed the impact the historic golf course has made across the community as well as ways for Bowden to become more financially sustainable.

Opened in 1940, the Millerfield Road golf course is significant in Macon’s history, as it became the first publicly integrated facility in 1961. In 2015, it was listed on the National Register of Historic Places.

The image some people have about the course doesn’t align with the reality, several officials and golf course experts said Tuesday.

“I know we’ve done a good bit as far as cleaning up the course and improving the playability, but again we haven’t tried to tell the public that,” Commissioner Virgil Watkins said. “If any public company were to come in there, I’m sure marketing would be key to them being successful.”

By replacing grass and fixing bunkers, the course should become more enticing to golfers, golf course architect Mike Young said.

Someone may be interested in a revenue sharing lease or managing the property, said Young, who estimated that putting in a higher quality ultradwarf bermudagrass would cost about $125,000.

“As a municipal golf course, Bowden has a lot of potential,” he said. “It’s going to take a commitment.”

In recent years officials have raised and then lowered fees in attempts to draw in more revenue at Bowden. In fiscal 2015, $370,000 was generated from 12,142 rounds played. A year later the number of rounds dropped to under 11,000.

This year the course is on pace to surpass 12,000 rounds, but with higher salaries the golf course would need more than 13,000 rounds played to meet 2015’s revenue, Assistant County Manager Julie Moore said.

Commissioner Al Tillman said having new management for the course, similar to the Macon Centreplex, could benefit Bowden.

“We’ve put a lot of money into Bowden and we have to do something,” he said.

Animal welfare

The County Commission is expected to vote next week on a resolution to find animal rescue groups interested in managing adoptions and intake for the Animal Welfare Department.

Officials say the proposals will help determine what makes sense from a financial and practical standpoint before any decision is made. The county last outsourced its adoptions and spay/neuter services for about a year until the nonprofit organization ended its agreement in May 2016.

The Public Safety Committee voted Tuesday to add the resolution to the March 21 commission agenda.

The discussion with the Welfare Department is similar to other departments where officials are looking for resourceful ways to deal with a challenging budget, Moore said.

The budget for the department has increased from about $619,000 in fiscal 2013 to $962,000 last fiscal year. Macon-Bibb officials will also examine how other animal welfare departments and their shelters are operated.

“We’re really trying to be creative and open and asking for ways things are done in different communities,” Moore said.

The shelter has seen a rapid increase in the number of animals confiscated and surrendered by owners in recent years. There were 70 animals confiscated in 2014 and 456 the following year, according to a Macon-Bibb audit.

The Macon-Bibb animal welfare task force has been working on issues such as reducing strays. Other possible changes in operation of the county’s department could be beneficial, one official said.

“We’ve become one of the worst as far as stray animals in our community,” Commissioner Scotty Shepherd said. “We have a significant number higher than (similarly sized) counties. Hopefully whatever we come up with will reduce that.”

This story was originally published March 14, 2017 at 4:58 PM with the headline "Reaching Bowden’s potential will take commitment, golf course architect says."