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Zionsville’s municipal golf course could have a new operator later this year.
The town on Monday issued a request for proposals from companies interested in operating, managing and maintaining the nine-hole Zionsville Golf Course, 10799 E. County Road 550 S., which is currently run by the Zionsville Department of Parks and Recreation.
Mayor John Stehr told members of the Zionsville Town Council on Monday that a selection committee will be created that will include two town councilors and representatives from the parks board and administration.
The selection committee will examine proposals and determine if it wants to enter into an agreement with an operator.
“The Zionsville Golf Course is a tremendous asset for our community,” Stehr said. “We want to ensure that it continues to operate at the highest standards and provides a first-class golfing experience for our neighbors and visitors looking for a challenging and economical place to play.”
Zionsville Golf Course was built in 1961. The course was operated privately until the town purchased it in 2007. Golfers played a record 27,000 rounds at the course in 2023, according to statistics provided by the town.
The goal of the RFP is to expand the course’s reputation and market share among junior and adult learn-to-golf programs, deliver increased value to visitors and improve efficiency in operations at the course.
“There are more than 2,500 municipal golf courses now operating in the United States, and the vast majority are operated by private entities,” Parks Superintendent Jarod Logsdon said in written remarks. “There’s a reason for that. Our mission is to determine if bringing in a partner makes sense for Zionsville.”
The deadline for RFP submissions is 9 a.m. Feb. 23. The town expects to award a contract by March 13.
The 2024 golf season is scheduled to begin in mid-March and run through November. Rates for a season pass begin at $200 for students to $700 for adults ages 18 to 54.
Other golf courses in Zionsville are the public Hickory Bend Golf Course and the private The Club at Holliday Farms, designed by the late Pete Dye.
Zionsville also used to be home to Wolf Run Golf Course, one of the most challenging courses in the Midwest, but it closed in 2017 and is being turned into a nature preserve.
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Not advocating for this necessarily, but I can’t help wonder if relocating and establishing a new Zionsville 9 hole course might be better. This land would be great for expansion of downtown Zionsville. (But it may all be floodplain.)