Golfing is a way of life for some in Wellington. 

Part 1 of 3-part story

by James Jordan and Tracy McCue, Sumner Newscow — As the wind blows, the ice falls, and the threat of snow persists this weekend, it is hardly a time to think about golf. But sometime very soon, an avid golfer will pull out onto Wellington’s almost 100-year-old golf course and play a round.

This ritual will be repeated an estimated 19,000 times in 2016, not counting the casual evening golfers who might just want to hit anywhere from two to nine holes as part of their evening festivities.

Golfing is a way of life for some in Wellington — an affordable way for people to congregate, hold a fundraiser, or just to serve as a stress reliever. The Wellington Golf Course is also the community’s No. 1 tourist attraction.

Wellington is not the exception. Golf courses sprinkle the Kansas landscape, and is something most if not all small towns want to have.

But for all its benefits, some question just how much support should it receive from the city taxpayers.

It is a matter of debate that will be discussed a lot in coming months as the city of Wellington attempts to bring itself back to financial well being.

Sumner Newscow is doing a three-part story. Today, we will examine the golf course’s economic impact on the community. Monday, we will look at its history with an interview with former golf manager Steve Gill. On Tuesday, we will look at its financial impact – how much tax money is spent on the golf course and if Wellington is different than other communities such as Winfield and Arkansas City in how it is financially reimburses its municipal golf course.

Economic Development — 

The Wellington course is a popular destination, not only for Wellington, but for people around Wichita and other surrounding area. Every weekend in the summer months, there is a tournament, and many of those tournaments attract a plethora of out of town guests. According to Wellington golf course figures, there were about 19,000 rounds of golf played at the course last year, and 8,000 of those rounds were played by people not from Wellington.

Stacy Davis

Sumner County Economic Development Director Stacy Davis said the course is definitely a major asset to the county.

“One of three things businesses ask when looking at Sumner County, is what do you have in regards to quality of life, and the golf course is part of that,” she said.

She said the course also benefits the community directly. For every visitor that comes, it is estimated that $30 is spent per person on things like hotel rooms, restaurants, gas and other necessities.

“That adds up if 10 people come to play golf in a day,” she said.

Golfers not only support local businesses for one thing, but they also pay sales tax on their purchases, which goes to the city, she said.

Davis said in recent years there has been a decline in population for Sumner County, and economic development people are looking at ways to reverse that trend.

“We have some quality of life issues,” she said. “We need to promote what we have more.”

Bill Butts

Wellington City Council member Bill Butts, an avid golfer, is also a huge proponent of the golf course. Butts moved to Wellington a few decades ago, and he said the course played a part in his decision.

“I had two opportunities,” Butts said. “One was here and one was in Texas, and one of the main things that made me choose Wellington was the golf course. To this day it is sad to me to hear anyone talk about the course with anything other than endearment.”

Nevertheless, Butts worries that Wellington’s golf course has some issues that need to be addressed if it hopes to continue being a premiere course in the south-central area.

“Courses like the one at Wellington competes with other courses for out of town players, and keeping the course in top shape should be a priority,” he said. “If the golf course is not pretty, if the golf course does not stay current with the latest golfing trends, people will go somewhere else to play.”

New trees are annually replaced on Wellington golf course.

Golf issues

Just recently, an issue came up in which fungus called “fairy ring” started affecting the greens this summer. And it illustrates a bigger conflict within the city council. How much money and resources should the city pour into the golf course especially during budgetary shortfalls.

Fairy ring, also known as fairy circle, elf circle, elf ring or pixie ring, is a naturally occurring in which a ring or arc of mushrooms develop that makes the grass around it visually less attractive. Weather was the biggest problem this year of creating the fungus, which could eventually erode many of the greens.

Appearances mean everything, Butts said, and he worried the ongoing problem with Fairy Ring could result in fewer rounds being played. He said those who work closely with the golf course want to take action.

At a recent city council work session, Butts noted that for years Steve Gill, and his father Jerry Gill before him, took care of the course and were very knowledgable about agronomy issues. But since Steve’s retirement in 2012 that in-house expertise has suffered a blow.

“I’m not taking anything away from Derek Harrison,” Butts said about the current golf manager. “He is very adept in marketing and the game of golf itself. That in itself is a full-time job.”

“But the Gills knew the course and could anticipate problems, and they had a background with things like grass and keeping it looking good.”

Butts recently advocated at the work session with hiring an agronomist or turf manager to deal with the issue — someone with a science background to take care of problems before they arose.

But his suggestion came with resistance. Other council members said with the city’s current financial state that did not seem like a reasonable goal. Even though the other council members expressed the desire to keep the course up, there was little support for adding an employee.

Wellington City Manager Roy Eckert said the city may be able to have some staff members get more education in that area. He also thought maybe the city could reach out to Kansas State University for assistance. K-State has one of the top golf course management departments in the nation.

Butts said while 19,000 rounds of golf seems like a lot in 2015, in previous years the course had 23,000 rounds played. He does not want to see that downward trend continue.

Harrison, who replaced Steve Gill in 2012 as the Wellington golf manager, is involved in all phases of the course, Butts said, and that is a heavy undertaking.

“They have to keep 150 acres mowed, and the greens need to get even more attention,” he said.

•••••

Another issue, Wellington has is the clubhouse. Built in 1964 with the east addition added on in 1980, it is now showing its age.

Harrison said the clubhouse is not always fully utilized with the back east room where a fireplace sits that is rarely occupied, the main office is small and there isn’t enough space to sell golf merchandise.

There are plans to build a new more expansive clubhouse that would include two levels— including a lower level to park golf carts. The upper level would include a large banquet hall for weddings and charitable events. Harrison said his hope is to make the clubhouse – a multifunctional community building that would also include a full kitchen and full-service bar.

Harrison said the cost of that project could get up to $300,000. But he said half of the project will come from private donations.

The trouble is getting the city to donate $150,000 to the project to make it a reality. There seems to be no desire from the council majority of making this a reality. Not in these tough financial times.

•••••

As always, Wellington continues to grapple with tree replacement – an ongoing battle as the course loses trees at an abundant rate due to drought, age and pine disease. Tree replacement is funded through private donations.

Harrison said the course loses 15 to 20 trees a year.

“In five year, we will not have anymore pines on this course,” Harrison told Sumner Newscow in April 2014.

Over the past years, golf course officials have added trees including Crimson Maples, sycamores and oaks. But even with an aggressive tree planting campaign, it is not keeping pace with older cedars, whose lifespan is coming to an end, and pine disease that has wrecked havoc on evergreens across the state of Kansas.

Golf greens at Wellington baffles many good golfers.

Wellington’s uniqueness

Still, despite the ongoing problems, Wellington’s golf course continues to beat on – popular for its short fairways and challenging greens.

“People want a course they can handle, and Wellington accommodates that,” he said. “The course also gives good players a challenge.”

One unique aspect is the raised greens, which were popular in the 1960s but not so much anymore. The raised greens were built by club members when the course was converted from a 9-hole sand course to the 18-hole golf course we enjoy today.

“It is a different architecture,” Butts said. “It makes the Wellington course a little unique. It makes play around the greens difficult and you have to know what you are doing when you play it.”

Butts said it will come down to how important it is to the people of Wellington to maintain the asset that is our golf course, and to keep its good reputation.

For many, the course does add value to the city. Eckert said when businesses look for locations for expansion, one of their first questions is whether or not there is a golf course. He said there has been more interest from businesses looking to move to Wellington, and the golf course is a part of the equation there.

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