Will Wichita sell MacDonald Golf Course? City debates the pros and cons

Wichita’s proposal to sell MacDonald Golf Course is now officially waiting for a tee time.

The city golf committee decided Tuesday to hold off on issuing a request for proposals to sell the course, until after the members can establish an overall vision plan for the entire golf system. That plan is expected to take the rest of the year to complete. The decision came after more than an hour and a half of discussion at City Hall, including the members of the committee and about 40 interested golfers in attendance.

Selling MacDonald is under consideration because of an unsolicited offer from Waterfront developer Johnny Stevens. Several members of the committee said they spoke with Stevens and he expressed an interest in continuing to operate it as a golf course — and also restore some of the luster it has lost since it was the original course of Wichita Country Club.

They said he wants to make it a “destination course” that could draw players from around the Midwest, not just the city.

Committee Chairman Eddie Fahnestock said Stevens told him “I’m not pleased with the shape the course is in. I think I can do better.”

The meeting exposed a division among local golfers. Some said Stevens would be the best thing that ever happened to MacDonald.

“I think free enterprise could run a golf business better than any government agency,” said golfer Howard Sherwood.

But golf committee member Cory Rainwater said he doesn’t want to see it priced out of the market for the average golfer.

“I want to make sure little Cory with a teacher’s salary can still play that course,” he said.

The committee looked on course to issue a request for proposals, at least to put some financial numbers on a sale and see if it would help or hurt the course.

But the motion was changed by committee member Tom West. He serves as president of the local chapter of the youth golf organization First Tee, and expressed concerns that private ownership could bring conflict with First Tee’s operations at MacDonald. Earlier this year, the city inked a $1.5 million deal with First Tee for the organization to build a driving range and training center next to the MacDonald course.

One possible side benefit of selling the course is that it could save Clapp Golf Course, a city course that is currently slated for closure and redevelopment, committee members said. Greg Ferris, a former member of the City Council who serves on the golf committee, said he would recommend keeping Clapp open at least a year or two if MacDonald sells to see if the change in the golf market would change the financially troubled course’s fortunes.

Right now, Clapp is living on borrowed time.

The Park Board originally voted to close it Sept. 30, but the city has decided to keep it operating until a master plan can be drawn up for the use of the land. That’s expected early next year.

But several committee members and members of the public expressed concern that if Clapp is closed and MacDonald sold, there won’t be any city courses east of Riverside.

This story was originally published August 21, 2018 at 7:03 PM.