Lincoln Park Golf Course

[Urbanized]

Ooooh...sweet urinals.

[Richard at Remax]

Had money in hand and still opens 8 months late. Sounds about right. Looking forward to not having to go into those makeshift trailers anymore

[Outhunder]

The clubhouse opened last weekend. They still have some things to finish, but it is very, very impressive.

[Pete]

These are from yesterday.

First of all: wow. This is a fantastic facility that you need to see to appreciate. My cell phone takes lousy interior pictures so those didn't turn out but...

When you walk in, there is a huge open lobby with the swirling public art, which is still covered in plastic as they finish up. To the left is the snack bar, to the right a large pro shop. In the back are huge meeting and dining rooms with a big patio in the back with an outdoor fireplace. If you go upstairs, there is another dining area with a bar (for private events no doubt, but open otherwise) and then a large covered 2nd level terrace. The entire back part of the property is elevated and provides a great view of the course.

it's much bigger than what was there before. Still finishing the landscaping and final touches and the ribbon-cutting is May 1st.

[HangryHippo]

That's really sharp.

[OkieNate]

Can't wait to go tee it up on the West course! This is so excellent, worth the wait!

[Outhunder]

yes, as I and others have said, it is very impressive. Two things that bug me though. First, that parking lot is a complete fail. Very hard to get in and out of, too many curbs, and spaces are not big enough. Someone really messed up on that design. Second, is that big of a clubhouse really needed? Are they really going to book a lot of receptions out there? Yes, the clubhouse is nice, but it's still a public course. I'm interested to see how receptions are handled while players are teeing off on #10. Also, look at the energy costs with all the very high ceilings along with all the entrances into the clubhouse. Not sure how they will keep it cool in the summer.

Anyway, I play out there quite a bit, and I'm glad they did this. BUT, seems they went a little overboard........ Just my 2 cents.

[Pete]

Yes, there is a ton of space in several different rooms.

I suspect they anticipate being able to lease it out for various events. Not sure how they'll do with weddings but for other meetings and events it would be a great choice. That upstairs room with the bar and big deck is pretty awesome. For that matter, so are the two downstairs rooms which also open on to big terraces. Because the whole property sits high, the views of the course are great and it's a pretty setting.

I'm sure it's somewhat reasonable when compared to private event venues.

[Outhunder]

Also, I'm curious how the other 3 city courses are going to be updated from here on out. I heard Earlywine was next on the list, but they had to put it on hold due to going over budget at Lincoln. And I guess that was my main point about going overboard at Lincoln. Where does that leave the other courses?

[Pete]

Hefner had a big upgrade not that long ago; at least to their courses.

Pretty sure this is driven by revenue bonds so I'm sure they'll do Earlywine, just probably need to space out the projects a bit.

[Outhunder]

Hefner had a big upgrade not that long ago; at least to their courses.

Pretty sure this is driven by revenue bonds so I'm sure they'll do Earlywine, just probably need to space out the projects a bit.

Yeah, 10 years ago or so they revamped the North (which was well worth it). But also about 8 years ago they revamped nearly every green and tee box at Lincoln. At least on the West that is. With all the play at Hefner, guess I'm shocked they chose to redo Lincoln's clubhouse first. Really shocked to here Earlywine mentioned. Either way though, glad they are improving and plan to keep improving their facilities.

[Urbanized]

Earlywine was updated pretty extensively in the nineties.

[bradh]

Hefner got the biggest upgrade of all by getting an awesome super last year, and the courses show it

[Pete]

Some new photos:

[Rover]

It is an outstanding facility for the public. It shows you don't have to joint private country clubs to have a really nice golfing experience in OKC.

[bradh]

It really is a fantastic facility, was there Saturday morning for a charity tournament.

[AP]

I'm looking forward to playing here soon.

[Pete]

I always loved Lincoln East.

When I was there last week, the course looked to be in excellent shape -- very green.

[Outhunder]

Just curious. Does anyone have access to photos of the old clubhouse? Not the one they just tore down, the one prior to that. It still stands between 12 green and 13 tee box on the west.

[Roger S]

Well it's not a pic of the old clubhouse but I was sitting on the 4th fairway of the West course yesterday waiting on the group in front of us to finish putting and thought this was a pretty cool view.

[AP]

There is a similar view that I love on the 6th at James E. Stewart. Perfect view of Downtown.

[Roger S]

There is a similar view that I love on the 6th at James E. Stewart. Perfect view of Downtown.

Yep! ... I see it almost every Thursday evening and it's even more spectacular when the sun is setting behind it.

[Plutonic Panda]

http://journalrecord.com/2016/08/05/...e-real-estate/

[Pete]

[warreng88]

Clubhouse drives revenue, rounds at Lincoln Park

By: Molly M. Fleming The Journal Record April 9, 2018

OKLAHOMA CITY – Across the city’s system, golf rounds played were down nearly 4 percent through February. But the one shining star is the course that also has the newest clubhouse.

Lincoln Park Golf Course had a 1.6-percent increase in its fiscal year-to-date rounds played, which means eight months of golf is included in the calculation.

Lincoln Park’s golf director, Steve Carson, said the 4-year-old clubhouse gives the course an upper hand in attracting events and tournaments compared to the city’s other courses. In the last two years, non-golf revenue is up about 40 percent compared to the first couple of years it was open.

“We’re able to hold a tournament and then hold an indoor party afterward,” he said. “The extra spaces we’ve created in this new clubhouse have just been wonderful. We’re able to host events such as birthday parties, graduation parties, baby showers, weddings, and rehearsal dinners. We’ve had all types of business events.”

Carson said Lincoln Park hasn’t had to use any additional money to market the clubhouse. Word has spread about the venue’s options, so more event planners are putting it into their rotation.

In the next few years, the Earlywine and James E. Stewart golf courses could get to reap the same benefits as Lincoln Park. The city is working on developing the scope for new clubhouses at both courses. The clubhouses were part of the 2017 general obligation bond package and slated to each have a $12 million budget.

Golf Trust Specialist Jeff Mosher said the request for qualified proposals for both clubhouses could go out in the next couple of months. Mosher said the city is looking at programming ideas to incorporate into the new clubhouses, such as a technology-based driving range.

“We want to explore all avenues of revenue and diversification,” he said.

Lake Hefner golf course will get a new clubhouse as well, but work on that building is still about three years down the road, Mosher said.

The rounds-played decline is nonetheless concerning to the trust, he said. He had looked at the playing figures as of March, which showed improvement for the month compared to March 2017. However, activity across the system was mostly down, he said.

One marketing effort to increase rounds played has seen success. The city started a Try-Trosper Tuesday discount to bring in more people to the Trosper Golf Club.

In fiscal 2017, Trosper had a 2.1-percent increase in rounds played. It was the only city course to see rounds growth. As a system, city-owned courses had a 1.76-percent decrease in rounds played.

With the discount, people could play Trosper for $13, which includes a cart rental. That is typically the sunset fee price.

But starting April 3, the discount system changed. From 11 a.m. to early afternoon, people can play one round of golf, get a bucket of balls, and use a golf cart for $25.25. Mosher said this was the most opportune time to bring in new players and still have a successful business operation.

All of the bunkers at Trosper are being renovated, and there are 70 new golf carts being delivered to the course.

The rounds-played decline means there are fewer people paying the green fees, which includes a surcharge that goes to paying the golf trust’s revenue bond. The city pays about $1 million a year, but about three-fourths of that will end in 2024. The remaining $250,000 per year is from Lincoln Park, and the total amount won’t be paid off until 2040.

Carson said he was expecting an uptick in his rounds played this past weekend with the Masters tournament on television. But with sleet falling on Saturday morning, that didn’t happen.

“We’re usually very busy,” he said. “(The Masters) tends to kick off the golf season around here.”