A new sign can now be seen near Highway 15 after the Seward Country Club sold the golf course to the City of Seward. The deal was finalized Feb. 1.
The Seward Country Club golf course officially became the Seward Community Golf Course Feb. 1 as the City of Seward closed on the purchase agreement.
Seward City Administrator Bruce Smith said the final purchase agreement was $348,750.
What this means for the community is that anyone can go play at the course.
“We’ll still offer what we’re going to call annual passes or seasonal passes so you can still buy one price and you can play all the time,” Smith said.
Smith said the city tried to lower some of the fees to make golfing more affordable for local residents. The course will offer daily green fees as well as a single annual pass in addition to an annual family pass.
“We’re trying to make it a little easier for people to play,” he said.
Smith said a golf course is an important amenity for the community.
“As people look to live someplace, they maybe work in Lincoln but a lot of people look around and say, ‘OK, we really don’t want to live in Lincoln so where are we going to live?’ And I think a community without a golf course, at least one of our size, I think that would hinder the opportunity for those people to move here and for our community to continue to grow,” Smith said.
Smith said it’s a great sport for the whole family and he can’t imagine a town of 7,000 people not having its own course.
“My kids play golf. I grew up playing golf. My whole family plays golf. We love it and that’s our recreation now as a family,” he said.
Smith said the city is going to try to plan some community events to get more people out at the golf course. He said the course will be family-friendly.
“We just want to make people feel really welcome out there,” he said. “It’s a fun nine-hole golf course.”
Smith said the future is bright for the golf course.
“The mayor and council have made a commitment that they want to have a golf course in the community,” he said. “And myself and the city staff are going to make sure it works.”
Two full-time employees who worked for the Country Club will continue in their roles for the city. Smith said part-time seasonal help will also be added.
The city will also continue its lease with Nate’s on the Nine, a full service restaurant at the course.
Another change for golfers will be different carts with windshields, ball washers and club cleaners. The city council recently approved a new lease with Nebraska Golf and Turf.
