Golfers on courses owned by the City of Atlanta will once again be able to buy alcoholic beverages after they tee up.
Three years ago, the Parks and Recreation Department took over management of the city’s courses after dispute with the longtime vendor who had operated the facilities for 30 years.
The vendor, Los Angeles-based American Golf Corporation, had a license to sell alcohol. The city did not.
The Atlanta City Council paved the way for the courses to get those licenses on Monday, when it unanimously approved an ordinance that grants the city an exemption from distance prohibitions for selling alcohol — 300 feet from private residences, 500 feet from a place of worship and 600 feet from a school.
“We think that this is just going to add value to the experience,” said Parks and Recreation Commissioner John Dargle Jr. in an interview on Monday.
Dargle estimated that the change will provide between $100,000 and $200,000 in additional revenue. The total budget for the city’s golf courses is about $3 million.
In addition to selling alcohol at its snack bars, Dargle said the city plans to offer alcohol from beverage carts on its three 18-hole courses — Browns Mill, Chastain Park and Tup Holmes.
But the city has no plans to have a beverage court at its nine-hole course, Candler Park, because it doesn’t have a cart path.
The city used to own Bobby Jones Golf Course, but traded it to the state in 2016 as part of a deal to sell Underground Atlanta to a private developer. At the time, the deal caused angst among regular players of the course and some residents.
The land swamp was what prompted American Golf to not bid on a new contract.
American Golf vice president said that “the removal of Bobby Jones from the City lease removed a key economic driver … with the remaining group of courses not providing a viable economic option for a lessee and the City.”
Dargle said the courses make about $200,000 to $300,000 annually.
Atlanta has made multiple investments in its courses over the last few years, including improvements to restrooms, bunkers, club houses and equipment.
In its 2020 budget, the Parks and Recreation Department said it is working on a long-term business plan for its golf operations and set a goal of “securing employees and optimizing staff levels to meet operational and customer needs and also securing equipment and contracts necessary to run quality youth and senior programming at facilities.”
Dargle said that about 120,000 golfers use the city’s courses each year. City residents pay $23.5o a round Monday through Thursday and $26.50 a round Friday through Sunday. Non residents pay $28 and $32.
Why it matters
The Atlanta City Council exempted the city’s four golf courses from a prohibition against selling alcohol within certain distances of schools, churches and private residences. The change will allow the city to obtain a liquor license so it can sell alcoholic beverages at its courses.
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