No golf course fee hike; future outlook better

Golfers wishing to hit the links in St. Mary Parish will not have to pay more to play after it was reported by the chairman of the Atchafalaya Golf Course Commission at the St. Mary Parish Council meeting Wednesday that there will be no rate hike this coming fiscal year.
Chairman Rudy Sparks had mostly good news to report to the council at their bi-monthly meeting which included a reduction in operating costs, an anticipated increase in revenue in coming months and an effort to instill interest in the game for the next generation of weekend warriors.
Sparks said, despite tough economic times which have had an impact on the fiscal performance of the course, there were brighter times ahead for a facility that has generated some controversy in the past.
“From 2013 through 2015 we have seen a decline in total income,” Sparks said. “However, we do anticipate a slight bump in 2016. Obviously, the economy in this area is in a very difficult situation particularly with the downturn in the oil and gas industry. But, we hope that we will be able to weather that storm and we are trying to do everything we can at the golf course to do our part in that effort.”
Sparks said part of the effort to maintain financial viability at the course included reducing operating costs to a bare minimum, promotional ventures and trying to generate interest in the sport of golf in young people in the region.
Several council members commended Sparks and his team at the course for their cost saving measures and their attempts to reach out to young people in the community. In particular, Councilman Rev. Craig Mathews commented that if an interest in the sport of golf could be introduced to area youths, it could set the stage for long term enthusiasm and patronage for the Atchafalaya Golf Course for years to come.
Sparks ended by saying there would be no rate hike at the course for the next fiscal year from Oct. 1 through Sept. 30, 2017.