Changes are coming to three nine-hole golf courses at Carter Caves, Kincaid Lake, and General Butler state parks in Kentucky.
Officials at the state-operated courses are seeing decreasing play and rising maintenance costs. They’re putting out the call for private entities to take over golfing operations at Carter Caves and Kincaid Lake.
Spokeswoman Laura Brooks says the state parks agency is soliciting ideas to use the land at General Butler for something other than golf. She said no jobs will be lost because of the changes officials are just looking for fresh ideas on how to use the land.
“We don’t have a specific idea in mind. We’re looking for good, new, serious ideas that will increase utilization of that land,” she said. “The hope is that someone would take over these courses and the land beginning in the spring of 2017.”
Brooks said whatever happens on the property could involve new construction, if there are no land restrictions against the suggested use. At this time, there are no plans to make changes at any of the 12, 18-hole courses at other state parks, she said.
Brooks says private operation of the courses at Carter Caves and Kincaid Lake will hopefully mean improvements to the golf facilities.
“We believe the private sector is better equipped to run the courses than the state park is,” she said. “They may have new ideas that will be able to promote those courses.”
