Park City golf course master plan advances as water costs, upgrades reshape operations

Park City Golf Club has a new master plan that will be presented at a public open house July 6. Photo: Robert Ruggiero // UnSplash

PARK CITY, Utah — For years, Park City’s municipal golf course benefited from a subsidy many golfers likely never noticed: taxpayers helped cover the cost of watering the course.

That is changing for the upcoming fiscal year.

As part of the city’s fiscal year 2027 budget, the Park City Golf Club is now responsible for paying the full cost of the water it uses, ending a long-standing subsidy and prompting increases to greens fees and season pass prices.

The policy shift comes as city officials prepare for another major investment in the course’s future: a comprehensive master plan that could guide renovations and capital improvements for decades to come.

Residents will get their first look at that vision during a public open house Monday, July 6, from 5 to 7 p.m. in the third-floor Community Room at the Park City Library.

The event marks the latest step in a planning process that began last year after the city hired TCS Consultants to evaluate the condition of the municipal course. The firm’s assessment found that the course’s irrigation system, installed in the early 1990s, is nearing the point where significant upgrades will be needed.

Rather than simply replacing aging infrastructure, the Park City Council directed staff to develop a long-term master plan examining the golf course as a whole. The city hired golf course architecture firm Beddo & Boyden to prepare the plan, incorporating feedback from nearly 400 residents who responded to a community survey.

At Monday’s open house, residents can review draft concepts, discuss proposed improvements with staff and the design team, and provide feedback before the plan is presented to the Park City Council in August along with preliminary cost estimates.

While the draft plan has not yet been released publicly, city officials say it is intended to guide future improvements, amenities, and long-term investments at the Park City Golf Club.

The timing coincides with broader changes to how the course operates financially.

Beginning this year, the golf course must cover the full cost of its irrigation water as part of the city’s effort to have enterprise operations pay their own way rather than relying on general taxpayer support. City officials estimated the change would add roughly $271,000 in annual operating expenses, contributing to increases in greens fees and season pass rates approved this spring.

Golf Manager Vaughn Robinson said the city hopes golfers and non-golfers alike will participate in shaping the course’s future.

“Whether you’re a frequent player, occasional visitor, or simply care about the future of this community asset, your feedback is encouraged,” Robinson said in a statement.

The open house is free and open to the public. Residents may drop in at any time between 5 and 7 p.m. No registration is required.