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Eagle Point's lower rates should attract more golfers By RANDY HAMMERICKSEN Good things for golfers of all levels are happening at Eagle Point Golf Course. The finishing touches on the complete first-class resort course and facility that Robert Trent Jones promised Rogue Valley golfers, and vacationing tourists three years ago, are nearing fruition. A two-level clubhouse is under construction and scheduled for completion next spring. To go with that facility, new Eagle Point Golf Director Steve Elbe is making some things happen to add to your golfing experience and lower the costs. With input from a fact-finding committee, Elbe has established a facility-use plan and reduced fees that will make playing golf on one of the premier Northwest courses more pleasurable. You can't expect the best-conditioned and most challenging course in the Rogue Valley to charge public-course-like greens fees. That's not realistic. But Eagle Point is trying to make its facility reach out to golfers who take the game seriously enough to want to have the best golf experience possible without traveling long distances. "I'm excited about what's happening out here," says Elbe, who replaced former general manager David Day on the Eagle Point staff. "We're about to make this an even better golfing experience." Day's former position of general manager was changed to golf director when Elbe arrived after stints at Blackberry Farm in Cupertino, Calif., and San Leandro Golf Complex. In Elbe's new facility-use plan at Eagle Point, local golfers, Oregon Golf Association members, seniors and juniors will all benefit. Here are some examples of rates that are already in effect. During what's called the low season _ October through April _ local residents can play unlimited golf, in a cart, with unlimited free range balls to hit before and after their round, for $35. For the avid golfer, that's a great deal.It will get even better in the spring when golfers can swing into the clubhouse after a round and order lunch, dinner or their favorite beverages in the the restaurant area of the clubhouse. Oregon Golf Association members can get all of the aforementioned privileges on the course for $40. Seniors get them for $29 and juniors (without cart) get them for $20. Those rates include unlimited golf, unlimited range balls before or after a round, and cart. Twilight greens fees will be $25 to play in a cart, with the same accompanying extras included. A high-season fee will be added to these rates from May 1 through Sept. 30. The average cost will be raised approximately $10. Elbe has thought of just about everything in trying to promote and increase rounds played at Eagle Point. The course will offer a credit of $7.50 to walkers on the course. Those players can save five vouchers and get a free round of golf in a cart, or they can apply the $7.50 to pro shop purchases. Eagle Point's return is less cart traffic on its well-conditioned and groomed course. Put all these new programs together and you have course in even better condition and more reasonable greens fees, which should increase play and enjoyment. "In Southern Oregon, we are No. 1 in terms of condition and playability. We want local golfers, and visitors to enjoy that as part of a pleasurable experience." Add the clubhouse, which will include offices, pro shop, club storage, cart storage and a restaurant and snack shop, and you have a full-service golf facility to go with a premier course. "The one thing we were lacking was the after-golf comforts and atmosphere of a nice clubhouse for our golfers to go to after their rounds," says Elbe. "Now, we will have it all. Elbe says Eagle Point averaged nearly 30,000 rounds during its first two years of operation. He projects total rounds are down this year, primarily due to heavy rains last winter and spring."We'd like to see average rounds get up to around 40,000 per year," says Elbe. "That would take increased numbers of local golfers coming out to take advantage of lower greens fees, and outside golfers and tourists coming in. "We expect to see more outside golfers, now that we have Running Y (in Klamath Falls) and Bandon Dunes open on the coast as other resort courses in Southern Oregon. It gives visitors to the area a chance to play three nice resort courses in a row on a trip." Today's Sports Index Mail Tribune Copyright� The Mail Tribune 1998, Medford,