PROVO -- After several years under the direction of Links Management, the Reserve at East Bay Golf Course is going back to being a municipal course.
The change took effect Tuesday after being approved by the Provo City Council two weeks ago.
Kean Ridd, director of golf at East Bay since it opened in 1986, said not many specifics will change in the day-to-day operations, but the change will be a positive one for golf and the community.
"It's a win-win situation for us and the city," said Ridd. "It's been a tough market in Utah and golf has been in decline nationwide. This will be a better situation for the golf course."
Ridd is being hired as an independent contractor by Provo to operate the golf course. The maintenance workers, led by course superintendent Jerry Preisendorf, will be city employees of the Parks Department.
As an independent contractor, Ridd will have incentives in his contract to earn more as the course is more successful. The other assistant pros and range workers will work under him.
"We're optimistic that it will work well," said John Borget, finance director for the city of Provo. "Kean has a great level of expertise and we're confident he'll do a great job."
Borget said the contract is for 13 months, so both Ridd and the city have the option to change if it doesn't work out. However, Borget said, "We're optimistic this will be a long-term arrangement."
Ridd started as an employee of the city 26 years ago when he worked at the old Timpanogos Golf Course, which was replaced by East Bay in 1986.
However in 1996, the course was privatized when Links Management, which oversaw several golf courses in the area, took over. Under the new plan, one level of management has been eliminated with Links no longer in between Provo and the golf course.
Source: Deseret Morning News (Salt Lake City)
