Chris Goodman
General Manager, Meadow Park Golf Course
110,000 rounds of golf annually. And a $48 million project to “reimagine” what golf can do to serve a community.
Probably no community in the United States is betting more on the future of golf than the Tacoma Parks District and its Meadow Park Golf Course. Heading up this multi-million-dollar project is Chris Goodman, General Manager of Meadow Park.
With a turf degree from Rutgers University, Goodman started as a superintendent at Meadow Park before transitioning to the general manager position. Knowing the agronomic side of the golf course led him to getting advice from the USGA Consulting Services about this ambitious project. “About three years ago, we started a massive project, the Reimagination Project. Around this time, we reengaged with the USGA,” he says. “So, we started working with Corey Isom, USGA Regional Agronomist and then transitioned over to Ross Niewola, who replaced Cory. We started this project reimagining what a 110-year-old community golf course could be. That’s why we started out with a renovate/remodel approach.”
A two-year, $48 million dollar renovation, the Reimagination Project will include a new clubhouse, a state-of-the-art driving range, and a remake of the executive Williams Nine course adjacent to the championship 18. There is also a grant from the PGA of America for construction of a three-hole programming course.
The Reimagination Project has a particular focus on youth golf in the Tacoma area, with a myriad of programs aimed at getting younger players into the game. “In terms of our youth programs, we’re probably top 15 in the country,” according to Goodman. “We host the largest drive, chip and putt event in the country for the number of participants. And we have a bus that picks up kids from elementary school and brings them here, 13-15 kids at a time, 120 days a year.”
Meadow Park is a formidable golf operation, with an 18-hole course, an executive course, and a massive driving range. “We're doing 65,000 rounds on the 18, and another 45,000 on the Williams Nine. That's a lot of golf. That's a lot of people. And when we look at our driving range, we're on pace to hit over 11 million golf balls this year.”
While there is an emphasis on teaching kids about the game of golf, Goodman and staff are also educating them on the agronomics of the game. Case in point: the USGA GS3 ball. “My original thought was that it’s a cool tool to engage youth,” he says. “The idea of using technology seems to resonate with youth stronger.”
