LIHU‘E — Less than a year after increasing playing fees, Wailua Golf Course may be taking a step back and offering lower fees in the near future. But if you’re a resident, don’t count on playing golf for less; the fee decrease would only affect visitors.
Parks and Recreation Director Lenny Rapozo Jr. said the fee hike is hurting the golf course concessionaires. Visitors are playing less golf at Wailua since the fee increase last July. Rapozo said visitors represent potential customers for the Pro Shop and the restaurant.
Despite the revenue going up 21 percent, or about $18,000, according to Rapozo, the golf course lost about 5,000 rounds in comparison to the previous year.
Local residents are playing more golf than before; their rounds went up four percent. But overall rounds are down seven percent. Rapozo said visitors usually dine at the restaurant and buy souvenirs at the Pro Shop, as opposed to residents, who often dine elsewhere.
Rapozo said the Pro Shop and the restaurant are having a hard time paying rent due to the loss of visitor business. He was concerned that this coming fall the existing contract between the golf course and both concessionaires is coming to an end, and it will be renegotiated.
Councilwoman Lani Kawahara introduced the bill, which went through public hearing and council scrutiny Wednesday. The council ended up deferring the bill for two weeks, to have some amendments added to it.
If approved, the bill would bring down daily non-resident fees to $48 from $60; daily non-resident weekend and holiday fees to $60 from $70, non-resident twilight daily to $24 from $30, and non-resident twilight weekend and holiday to $30 from $35. In addition, a non-resident playcard, good for five rounds of golf, would decrease to $215 from $275.
In one of the definitions of “resident,” the proposed bill describes a person possessing a valid Hawai‘i driver’s license with a local address on it. Non-residents, however, could reportedly obtain such a license with ease, which brought some concern to resident Susan Yamamoto.
Kawahara said the bill would be revised and she would look for a solution.
Councilman Dickie Chang said it would take seconds to check if a resident voted in the last elections, which could be an alternative to confirm residency.
The golf course and concessionaires do not have an ATM machine, but the pro shop and restaurant are able to accept credit cards. The pro shop has accepted credit cards since 2005. It is the golf course registration office only that is not equipped to accept credit cards.
Rapozo said the Department of Parks and Recreation is exploring the possibility of an ATM machine placement.
