What does the future hold for Tucson golf courses?

TUCSON, AZ (Tucson News Now) - What is the future of city owned golf courses in Tucson? Today the mayor and city council will receive a report on golf course operations for the year from the company that was awarded management of the courses in January.

Scottsdale-based OB Sports was awarded the contract to take over the five city of Tucson golf courses, and so far they have made several improvements.

Since OB Sports has taken over running the courses, the goal has been to improve customer experience, including presentation and playability of the courses. This was done with new golf carts, new mowers for the greens, maintenance equipment, and upgrades to the kitchens at El Rio, Randolph and Fred Enke.

The city pays OB Sports a monthly management fee of $4,000 per golf course. According to officials, the number of rounds being played is down almost four percent from 2013, despite the upgrades and changes made.

Council member Steve Kozachik said the question remains whether there is a future for golf in Tucson and how long the city can subsidize it.

City officials are saying there are a couple of reasons for the number of rounds being down, new golf courses have opened up and struggling courses have been offering below-market prices to play.