New director, board to oversee Wichita public golf courses after city rejects private firm

Wichita is setting up new public oversight of its four city golf courses after the City Council voted not to privatize them.

It has hired a new director of golf and is creating a Golf Board of Governors.

Jesse Coffman, formerly director of golf operations for Fairfax County Park Authority in Fairfax, Virgina, started as director of golf on June 27. He will be paid $120,000 a year.

He replaces Troy Hendricks, who retired in 2021.

The city would not make Coffman available to talk about what he plans to do, saying he needed time to settle into the job and was busy doing that.

The council last week gave tentative approval to a new Golf Board of Governors to replace the golf advisory committee.

The main difference between the advisory committee and the new board is who they report to. The advisory committee reported to the Board of Park Commissioners. The Golf Board of Governors will report directly to the City Council.

The new board will have seven voting members: one from each of the four courses nominated by the men’s and women’s clubs, three at-large representatives with a food and beverage background, a merchandising and retail background and a professional golf or park and recreation background. The golf course representatives are not required to be members of the men’s or women’s golf clubs.

Council members will start to appoint board members after final approval of the change, which is expected Tuesday.

Coffman will serve as a non-voting member and will help oversee the golf budget.

The Board of Park Commissioners will also have one non-voting member. The park commissioners make recommendations to the city council on issues related to parks.

The board will be responsible for approving golf course fees and work with the city council to prepare an annual golf budget. They will provide input and advice on golf policies, procedures and operations. Council members will approve the golf budget, which is set at nearly $4 million for 2022.

City spokesperson Megan Lovely said the golf division uses revenue earned from the courses to operate them. The courses do not receive tax dollars from the city, county or state.

The formation of a new governing board was recommended after the City Council voted 5-2 in March to reject the proposed privatization of the four public golf courses – Auburn Hills, MacDonald, Tex Consolver and Arthur B. Sim.

A selection committee and the city park board had recommended that KemperSports operate the courses.