Hitting the greens at Denver’s municipal golf courses could get more expensive as the city’s Parks and Recreation department proposes across-the-board price increases.
The city operates eight golf courses — all of which are open to the public and are relatively affordable. Green fees are based on a supply-and-demand dynamic pricing model. Popular tee times, like Saturday mornings, are priced higher than ones with lesser demand, like weekday afternoons.
The Denver City Council now is considering raising the upper limit on prices, raising about $2.5 million of new revenue per year.
Weekday rates could now cap out at $60, an increase of $11.
Weekend rates could go up to $67, an increase of $7.
Golf officials say operating the courses has gotten more expensive in recent years
Since May 2024, Denver Parks and Recreation has been studying the possibility of raising maximum prices. The city’s golf program is funded through an enterprise fund — meaning the only source of revenue it gets is the money it generates from its courses, with no help from tax dollars.
In an upcoming presentation to Denver City Council’s Land Use, Transportation and Infrastructure committee, Parks and Recreation plans to outline a growing need for a fee increase amid rising operating costs.
In 2024, it cost over $18 million to run the city’s eight golf courses — more than double the amount it cost in 2018.
Costs are rising because of minimum wage increases, inflation and more, according to the presentation.
The proposal will increase the cost to golf on city-owned courses
Denver Parks & Recreation’s 19-member advisory board voted to approve the golf course fee increases in November, putting it in the hands of city council.
If passed, it would be the second increase since 2020. In 2022, parks staff also pointed towards the rising cost of maintaining the grounds.
The proposed increases this year vary by how big the course is and what day they’re for.
- Maximum adult weekday rates for 9-hole courses would rise from $29 to $31. Youth and senior passes for weekdays will also increase.
- Maximum adult weekday rates for 18-hole courses would rise from $49 to $60. Youth and senior passes for weekdays will also increase.
- Maximum weekend rates for 9-hole courses would go from $33 to $35.
- Maximum weekend rates for 18-hole courses would go from $60 to $67.
With the change, Denver golf’s average prices will rank about the 22nd highest out of 31 regional golf courses. The average weekday round will cost about $46.
For comparison, average prices elsewhere range from $31 at Riverdale Knolls to $105 at Fossil Trace, according to city officials.
If rates stay the same, the city expects to run an $84,000 deficit on its $21.8 million golf budget. With the increase, the city expects revenues to exceed costs by about $2.5 million.
The higher prices will discourage some golfers. The city expects the number of rounds played to decrease by almost 4 percent.
Rates at the city’s two par-3 courses at Harvard Gulch and Kennedy would also increase, as would tournament fees.
Some prices would stay the same, including fees to access the city’s driving ranges, mini golf courses and its singular FootGolf course. (Ed. note: That’s golf but with soccer balls.)
The proposal also would remove the program for annual memberships, which haven’t been sold since 2008. A grand total of 14 people have held onto their annual membership cards by renewing them. Those memberships would be canceled.
