Bartlett raising fees at village-owned golf course

Hoping to rake in more revenue from weddings and banquets at the village-owned golf course, Bartlett will spend about $250,000 on a clubhouse addition and other upgrades later this year.

Golfers also will see most fees increase by $1 as the village hopes to reach a profit at Bartlett Hills. An afternoon round of 18 holes on the weekend will now cost a resident $33.

The modest hikes - expected to take effect May 7 and generate $20,000 annually - will keep Bartlett Hills competitive with nearby courses, officials say.

"Golfers are more price sensitive than ever before," said Phil Lenz, an assistant pro.

Last year, Mother Nature kept players off the course on Oneida Avenue, most notably in the spring and fall. The number of rounds tumbled by 4,200, representing a nearly 12 percent drop from 2012.

Despite raising some fees last season for the first time in six years, Bartlett Hills remains on track to close the 2013-2014 fiscal year with an estimated $196,444 shortfall.

The village hopes cooperative weather conditions and improvements to the facility will draw more users as the summer season approaches. The course also has restructured its league play to free up tee times for twilight outings.

And golfers will now be able to swipe their credit cards to buy alcohol and other drinks from a beverage cart.

Officials say those steps, coupled with the rate increases, will help Bartlett Hills yield a roughly $20,000 surplus, projected in the new fiscal year.

Meanwhile, the village plans to begin a project to expand the clubhouse's bar and banquet hall by less than 1,000 square feet in December.

"Our bar is rather small, and there are times when you don't really have any place to sit down," Lenz said.

General Manager Bob Gavelek said the work - adding 40 seats to the banquet business - responds to demand for large wedding receptions.

"Weddings have become a huge part of our business," he said.