Wichita’s proposal to sell MacDonald Golf Course is now officially waiting for a tee time.
The city golf committee decided Tuesday to hold off on issuing a request for proposals to sell the course, until after the members can establish an overall vision plan for the entire golf system. That plan is expected to take the rest of the year to complete. The decision came after more than an hour and a half of discussion at City Hall, including the members of the committee and about 40 interested golfers in attendance.
Selling MacDonald is under consideration because of an unsolicited offer from Waterfront developer Johnny Stevens. Several members of the committee said they spoke with Stevens and he expressed an interest in continuing to operate it as a golf course — and also restore some of the luster it has lost since it was the original course of Wichita Country Club. The meeting exposed a division among local golfers. Some said Stevens would be the best thing that ever happened to MacDonald.
“I think free enterprise could run a golf business better than any government agency,” said golfer Howard Sherwood.
But golf committee member Cory Rainwater said he doesn’t want to see it priced out of the market for the average golfer.
“I want to make sure little Cory with a teacher’s salary can still play that course,” he said.
(Read more: Wichita Eagle)