14 November 2023
SHAWNEE COUNTY (KSNT) – With above-average temperatures sticking around through mid-November, many are taking advantage by getting in a few extra rounds of golf. These extra weeks of play mean extra money coming in for Shawnee County Parks and Recreation.
It’s a great deal for both golfers and parks and rec, with winter rates, fees to play are much lower. For the county, off season revenue is an unexpected bonus. Although Lake Shawnee Golf Course workers don’t plan on making much revenue from November through February, they’re off to a great start.
“Play is definitely up,” Lake Shawnee Golf Course Head Professional Scott Mellen said.
And what perfect time than now? With winter rates now in effect as of Nov. 1, It’s cheaper for golfers to hit the greens.
“Past years you’re lucky if you can get out once a week or once or twice a month,” golfer Gary Wenger said. “But this nice weather, we’ve been able to play every week throughout the year. Especially a day like today, nice weather, suns out, course is in great shape so we really enjoy it.”
With more golfers like Wenger out playing, those few extra weeks of greens fees help fund capital improvements, getting the golf course that much more ready for the next golf season.
“When we have nice Novembers it’s great, it’s just bonuses,” Mellen said. “We get people out, we open at nine, we close about five, five-thirty and we’re really busy up until about two o’clock.”
While the warmer temperature is a golfer’s friend for the time being, the leaves are not.
“You try to mow them up as much as you can and it’s a constant battle, I’m sure people see it at home as well,” Mellen said. “But that’s the biggest frustration on their part where they’re probably losing golf balls and it could be right down the middle of the fairway.”
But a lost ball doesn’t get in the way of fun, because as the saying goes, a bad day on the golf course is better than a good day in the office.
“The guys I play with some of them use a yellow ball and that’s really tough in the leaves you know to find the balls, but it’s so nice out here, if the leaves, if that’s our only distraction you know we’ll take it because of the nice weather,” Wenger said.
Mellen told 27 News the last three Novembers have been nice. He says they’re seeing more business now in November than they’ve seen in March over the last three years.