EDMOND, Oklahoma — Edmond’s Kickingbird Golf Club began nearly $18 million in renovations after celebrating its 50th anniversary and city officials say those changes are opening doors to major possibilities.
Brian Soerensen, the city’s director of golf, said just having a plan in place and getting changes underway has already opened the door to new opportunities. Professional golfer Billy Mayfair and his wife Tami held a first meeting with the club to discuss bringing a PGA Tour Champions event to Kickingbird.
“They had to take it before the assistant commissioner, commissioner of the PGA Tour Champions, and they were given permission just to look into potentially holding an event and they would like to do it at Kickingbird Golf Club,” Soerensen said.
The planned renovation of the golf club was approved for just under $18 million and is expected to reach well beyond the club’s greens, according to Soerensen. He also said he’s thankful that Edmond’s city council and leadership are supportive of investments that benefit the community at large.
“We expect to grow revenues, conservatively, I would say on an annual basis close to a million dollars,” he said. “Not only will we generate money hopefully at Kickingbird, but it helps the city out as well.”
Josh Moore, city councilman for Edmond’s Ward 2 where Kickingbird is located, said the course and its new facilities have the potential to improve quality of life and recreation within the community. Additionally, he said the impact to Edmond’s tourism is likely to be significant.
“We know that when we provide facilities that are as good and as nice as what we’re building at Kickingbird that there will be an economic impact around town to several areas and several businesses,” Moore said.
Planned work includes a new clubhouse, underground cart barn, event space, short game practice area, indoor teaching facility, outdoor driving range pavilion and tee expansion. There are also improvements to the greens, including a complete redesign of two holes and minor changes to two others, as well as new tee boxes, changes to sand bunkers and a new irrigation system.
“This facility is designed to be flexible,” Moore said. “It can also be used in the winter for events and be able to generate revenue in the non-peak times.”
The course closed in July with targeted reopening set for fall of 2022, Soerensen said. Despite strains on supply chains worldwide, he said contractors have worked to find supplies from alternative sources as needed keeping the project on target to meet that goal.
“I think weather and Mother Nature may have as much a part to play in us hitting our target as the supply,” he said. “But I think having contractor flexibility goes a long way in helping us hit these dates.”
Soerensen said the club expects to have entertainment bays at the new driving range pavilion that will create an atmosphere similar to that of TopGolf for players hoping to have a more leisurely experience. He said the focus at Kickingbird will always be to grow the game of golf, making it accessible to more people.
“How do we continue to grow the game?” Soerensen said. “I really think that’s through junior golf and family golf activities and things like that.”
The club also plans to bring back its monthly “Family Fun Night” with free clubs and reduced green fees, Soerensen said. The opportunity provides a new family recreation alternative to options like seeing a movie and also gives people a chance to get comfortable coming to the golf course and learning the basics. Beginners often don’t want to go to a golf course because they don’t know about the processes, he said.
“If you’re like me, if I visit a facility and I don’t know where I’m going or I don’t know what I’m doing, I feel uncomfortable,” he said.
Soerensen said Kickingbird will aim to find a balance between beginners and core experienced golfers, providing experiences catered to give both groups the most enjoyment.