Looking ahead to more 'greener' times

It's survived decades of issues with water.

Then a change in ownership at the outset of the recent "Great Recession," served up yet more challenges for The Fairways Golf Course.

And one person, Kris Kallem, probably knows, and has seen more than anyone when it comes to the former farm and site of birddog trials, which celebrated its 30th birthday back in May.

Such as, interestingly enough, "Some of the water hazards that are still here today were here then as well; No. 12 was there all along, 18 was seasonal, 4 was seasonal," Kallem, the course general manager and head PGA professional said.

This is the 29th season of association with The Fairways for Kallem.

"I was playing it from the day it opened," Kallem, who played his high school golf for Cheney. "I've seen it all, I've seen the highs, the lows, the good, bad and ugly."

With a recent court decision that temporarily returned the flow of city of Spokane water, and a permanent fix hopefully in the future, Kallem is working to see that there are many more anniversaries ahead for the 6,400-yard, par-72 layout.

For years there had been civic dreams of establishing a golf course on the West Plains and that happened when Canadian Charles Klar proposed his plan. It followed a trend in the 1980s and 1990s where a golf course was the anchor for a satellite community, Kallem explained.

During the decade of the 90s, it thrived, it did well, Kallem said. "Business was pretty darn good, but the downside, the downturn came as water rates increased and other courses came on line," he added.

From roughly 1989 through 2000, about six new golf courses opened in Spokane and the immediate area. Those included The Creek at Qualchan, Meadowwood, Prairie Falls in Post Falls, The Links, Deer Park and Circling Raven near Plummer, Idaho.

"It was tough to compete once those came on line and were taking their portion of the market," Kallem said.

He hates to tie so much to the issue of water, but it's a fact that cannot be ignored, Kallem said.

The Durgan family - Joe, the late former pro at Spokane's Downriver and son John of Fairways Management, LLC - were the original operators of the course when it opened.

But they were unable to keep up with the rising cost of water. "They were trying to conserve how much water was put down, which made it less appealing to play," Kallem said.

By the fall of 2007 the course was 90 percent brown and play had been reduced to 13,000 rounds, from mid-30,000 in the mid-1990s, Kallem recalled.

Klar reached out to builder Buster Heitman, who was developing lots around the course, and asked if he was interested in buying the course.

"You have an interest in taking over and running it," Heitman was asked. If not, the likelihood was the course would be closed all together. This all came right before the last recession. "As a developer, the timing wasn't really good for him," Kallem said.

But the place persevered. "We're pretty proud of what we've been able to do, despite the economic downturn and all those factors," Kallem said. The course has been brought back to the condition it once enjoyed and a variety of improvements have been made over the years.

"Most importantly, we've brought play back up to where we're averaging 23 – 24,000 rounds a year now; that's still not where we need to be but it's definitely an improvement," Kallem said.

The magic number is 30,000 rounds, which would allow the course to do the things they need to do. Like putting money in a "rainy day" or in the case of 2016-17, a "snowy day" account, that virtually curtailed offseason play in a time when it provided some income.

That level of play would also help fund capital improvements that include irrigation updates, better cart path and playability.

Commemoration of the 30th anniversary of the actual grand opening, May 15, 1987, came with a rollback of greens fees to that time. Players in 2017 paid $7.50 for 18 holes. The course offered birthday cake and Kallem said it was one of their busiest days in a long time.

Among many events on the course's calendar is the 52nd annual Lilac Invitational, July 6–9. Proceeds of the tournament benefit longtime designated charity, Shriners Hospital.

Paul Delaney can be reached at [email protected].