BY JANET C. WETZEL
The Cincinnati Enquirer
MIDDLETOWN -- While golfers are teeing it up at the newly renovated Weatherwax Golf Course, officials are back in the clubhouse planning more improvements.
Most of the extra work will have to wait until the golf course's cash flow improves, but an extensive drainage project to keep the course open more often during rainy weather could get started soon, said Dave Tieman, golf director.
An estimated $1 million in upgrades on the drawing board include clubhouse renovations with a new deck overlooking the front pond, parking lot work, permanent restrooms and entry gates, maintenance road work and more trees.
"We were hoping to start a lot of those projects this fall," Mr. Tieman said.
But with revenues down because of bad weather and a delay in getting the recent $2.1 face lift finished, "We'll start when we start making more money," he said.
Weatherwax consists of four nine-hole courses.
"We lost most of April and pretty much of June because of the weather," Mr. Tieman said about this year. One of the greatest losses was closing the course over Memorial Day weekend, which cost Weatherwax about $33,000.
One weekend day's revenues exceed two weekdays' revenues. A revenue increase cannot come too soon for Mr. Tieman. He said an immediate goal is to add 30,000 feet of drainage if it can be done for about $95,000.
"I'd guess we'll make that back just in the rest of this year because we can be open more, plus we get to reap those benefits for the next 25 years," Mr. Tieman said. The work should cut the estimated $200,000 annual rain loss in half, he said.
There is still time this year to make a financial comeback, but the prime golf weeks are swiftly passing, Mr. Tieman said.
July is the biggest month, with August and June close behind; September and May follow a few steps back, then it drops in half for April and October, because of the iffy weather and less daylight.
