Parks Department Proposes Fee Increases at Golf Course

APRIL 3, 2025 |

Photo – Roadway arch to golf course – Bigfoot99 file photo

Rawlins officials propose ways to increase revenue at the city’s golf course.

During Tuesday evening’s Rawlins city council meeting, the governing body discussed a resolution to amend the municipal fee schedule at the Rochelle Ranch Golf Course.

Parks and Recreation Director Nikki Howell acknowledged that the golf course places a significant burden on the city’s annual budget. Howell explained that she and City Manager Tom Sarvey studied the financial situation at the golf course and devised a way to increase revenue and attract more visitors.

Under the new fee schedule, an annual senior citizen membership increases from $315 to $390. Memberships for full-time students under the age of 17 will decrease, going from $154 a year to $150.

Changes to golf cart rental pricing have also been announced. The cost for a nine-hole session will drop from $23 to $15, while an 18-hole rental will decrease from $35 to $20.

However, these discounts do not extend to multi-game cart rental punch cards. The price of a 10-punch card will increase from $115 to $150, and a 20-punch card will rise from $175 to $200.

To avoid confusion, City Manager Sarvey said he and Howell would like to implement the new rates before the Rochelle Ranch Golf Course opens again on April 14^th.

Sarvey went on to explain that securing funds to support the golf course is becoming increasingly difficult. The proposed fee increases are intended to help reduce the city’s annual financial contribution.

Sarvey said the rate increases may seem steep, but they are needed to reduce the financial strain the golf course places on the city’s budget.

To help bring in additional revenue, Sarvey proposed creating a $125 one-month membership. The city manager said the new initiative is likely to appeal to temporary workers from the nearby Sinclair Refinery.

Parks and Recreation Director Nikki Howell said no other golf course offers a single-month membership. Howell explained that the $125 membership only covers greens fees. Members will still need to rent golf carts and purchase equipment from the pro shop, which is expected to significantly boost revenue.

Additionally, charter memberships, which were purchased when the golf course opened in 2004 or during a membership drive, will increase roughly seven percent across the board. Charter memberships for seniors will see the most significant rise, going from $275 to $340 a year.

Councilman Steve Sanger asked how much additional revenue the proposed price hikes will generate for the city. Sarvey responded that the single-month memberships are projected to raise $2,500 yearly. Any additional revenue will go toward the new marketing strategy he and Parks and Recreation Director Howell are developing.

Sarvey said the city has struggled to effectively market the course to its largest golfing demographic: senior citizens. According to the National Golf Foundation, older adults typically golf twice as often as those between the ages of 18 and 34. The city manager emphasized the golf course needs to persuade more seniors to purchase memberships.

Sarvey said youth memberships are also very low. The golf course must attract more seniors and young people to increase revenue.

The city manager also announced the Parks Department, which oversees the city’s green spaces, will be transferred from the Parks and Recreation Department to the Public Works Department, enabling Howell to concentrate on the new marketing strategy.

The Rawlins city council unanimously voted to approve the new fee schedule for the Rochelle Ranch Golf Course.

One additional Rawlins City Council note: The governing body of Rawlins will hold two special meetings to discuss the annual Budget.

The first budget meeting will be held on Monday, April 7.

The second meeting will be held on Thursday, one week from today, on April 10.

Both meetings will be held at 6pm in the Council Chambers. The full schedule of presentations can be found on BoardDocs.

City officials will discuss the budget requests their departments will make this year.

The schedule can be found online at www.rawlinswy.gov/boarddocs.