For years, golfers have been clamoring for the Mt. Lebanon Golf Course to get a face lift, and after a year of investigating options, the municipality finally is getting the ball rolling.
About 40 Mt. Lebanon residents attended a meeting Monday to hear plans for about $1.3 million in improvements to the municipality's 98-year-old golf course.
"Older courses must improve in order to keep up with newer facilities," said Craig Schreiner, a golf course architect with Kansas-based Craig Schreiner Golf Inc. "This course and its legacy are important. This facility has been a part of the local community, and any investment in it will also have a positive impact on the neighborhood."
Mt. Lebanon officials are hoping that a course upgrade would help boost usage and revenue. Mt. Lebanon recreation director Bill Moore said the course averaged 40,000 rounds played each year until 2000, but fewer than 30,000 rounds were played in 2003 and 2004.
The course brought in $366,703 in 2003, and $381,300 in 2004. Since January, the course has brought in $364,500, Moore said.
"With a good October and, hopefully, some good golf weather in November, we should make our revenue budget," Moore said. "The past few years have wreaked havoc on golf revenues, not only here in Mt. Lebanon, but nationwide. Rain causes problems."
An ad-hoc committee was appointed by municipal commissioners last year to study the nine-hole course on the Castle Shannon border.
The committee recommended a picnic pavilion, an indoor/outdoor learning center, a grill area, and expansion of the current pro shop/clubhouse. Additional T-boxes were recommended to allow all levels of golfers to play the course and speed the pace of play.
Once these recommendations were approved earlier this year, the municipality hired Schreiner to refine the plans.
He also recommended improving the tees, greens, fairways, bunkers and drainage system.
Mt. Lebanon has earmarked $416,310 in the 2005 budget for operation of the golf course. The 2005 capital projects budget had $430,000 earmarked for a new irrigation/sprinkler system, but that work was delayed to fit in with the other improvements.
The work would be completed in three phases, Schreiner said. The first phase, with an estimated cost of $423,275, would include adding a drainage system, rebuilding each tee and adding more tee space.
The second phase, with an estimated cost of $314,000, includes improving the fairways, greens and bunkers. The third phase, with an estimated cost of $549,000, would include the learning center and practice area.
A new clubhouse, which could be added later, has an estimated cost of $800,000, Schreiner said.
Mt. Lebanon resident Bill Lewis said he was worried about the cost and asked whether a business plan projecting revenues would be made available.
Golf course committee member Tom Butcher responded: "Actual numbers still are being worked out, but I will be disappointed if we did not double or even triple revenues. This is not a lot of money when you're talking about increasing your revenues this significantly.
Committee members also are pursuing a historic landmark designation from the Pittsburgh History and Landmarks Foundation for the course, which opened July 4, 1907, on a 100-acre farm. Financiers Andrew W. Mellon and Richard King Mellon were among the club's early members. Mt. Lebanon purchased the private course in 1947.
The 17-member committee based its recommendations on surveys fielded through the National Golf Foundation's Customer Loyalty and Satisfaction Program. Nearly 230 golfers and non-golfers rated and compared various golf course amenities, course conditions, service and value.
The committee is hoping that the plans for the course are completed in time for the 100th anniversary in 2007.
