Title
Approving Revised Golf Program Guidelines and Standards for the City of Madison Parks Division and Establishing Booking Fee.
Body
On May 14, 2025, the Board of Park Commissioners approved implementation of a pilot tee time reservation protocol and new Cancellation Fee for the 2025 Golf season (Leg File ID #88271). On October 8, 2025, the Board of Park Commissioners approved updated Guidelines and Standards for the Golf Program (Leg File ID# 88376). The Guidelines and Standards did not include issues studied in the pilot, as the season had not concluded.
The 2025 season has concluded. The Pilot was successful in modifying behavior and ensuring the maximum number of tee times are available to the public. Staff received very limited complaints. Overall no shows decreased by 81%, with a 77% decrease in peak time no shows, and 95% decrease in no shows by pass holders. 8,775 additional tee times were made available to the public as a result of policy change.
Staff recommend updating the Golf Program Guidelines and Standards for the City of Madison Parks Division to include information related to the cancellation policy as follows:
• Reservation Policy:
• Credit cards required to reserve a tee time
• Cancellation Policy:
• Tee time changes or cancelations must be made at least 6 hours in advance to avoid a fee
• Cancelations made between 6 and 2 hours before the reservation may be charged for full reservation and refunded via gift card
• Cancelations within 2 hours and all no-shows may be charged the full green fee for each absent golfer
• Season pass holders with cancelations less than two hours before tee time and no-shows may be charged a booking fee of $10 per tee time per season pass holder
• Establishment of $10 Booking Fee for season passholder
• Review and Approve Booking Fee annually as part of fee schedule
The Guidelines and Standards will take effect once approved by the Board of Park Commissioners.