Aspen Golf Club survey results highlight ‘it’s not just a golf course’

The city of Aspen has released the results from a survey to help guide the new Aspen Golf Club Facilities Master Plan, which highlight what the community wants the city to prioritize as it envisions upgrades.

“The Aspen Golf Club, Golf, Tennis and Nordic facilities are due for some love after decades of use,” the Aspen Community Voice website states. “All the people and activities at this location have served Aspen well over the last 25 years. But all that use (and love) over the years has taken its toll.”

Pressure on the infrastructure and the amenities led the Aspen Parks and Recreation Department to contract with DTJ Design for the Aspen Golf Club Facilities Master Plan, aiming to “create a roadmap for the future and allow new investment in the building and the surrounding facilities/activities that make it such a gem.” According to the website, operations are not considered efficient anymore due to the increase in the number of people using the facilities.

The survey was open March 1-31 and received 534 responses. According to the results, 64.4% of respondents were Aspen locals, 11% were from Snowmass and 8.4% were from Basalt, with the rest of respondents from Pitkin County outside of Aspen and Snowmass, the Woody Creek area, Garfield and Eagle counties or “other.”

Ninety-two percent said they had used the facilities in the past year.

“The survey was designed to understand what is working, what is not and what should be prioritized as we plan for the next generation of golf, tennis, Nordic and community amenities,” the website reads.

The top priorities reported were an expanded restaurant and bar, improved golf practice facilities, a larger outdoor space with sunset views, an indoor tennis facility and a golf simulator. Lower ranked priorities were a public golf club repair and Nordic ski tuning area, improved locker rooms and golf cart storage, separate pro shops for golf and Nordic, banquet and event facilities and meeting rooms.

When asked to rate the overall experience at the Aspen Golf Club considering the facilities, functionality and accessibility on a scale of 1 (not satisfactory) to 5 (extremely satisfactory), 2.8% rated it a 1, 5.2% rated it a 2, 25.1% rated it a 3, 43.1% rated it a 4 and 23.8% rated it a 5.

The chief critiques, according to the results, were that the facility is “outdated, inefficient and disconnected,” in addition to “inadequate” locker rooms and an “undersized” restaurant.

The survey results reflected that the Aspen Golf Club is not just a golf course — “It’s a social hub,” the community results read. “This is a community campus, whether the design reflects that or not.”

The top uses, according to responses, were 72% for the restaurant and bar, 65% golf, 59% summer use, 46% Nordic, 35% walking, 31% winter use and 23% tennis.

The report states that “62.5% say it’s ‘Very Important’ (5/5) to be a year-round gathering place. The community sees the Aspen Golf Club as a shared civic space; food, views and gathering matter as much as or more than golf.”

Sustainability priorities were also a cornerstone of the survey, with 64.4% of respondents wanting to prioritize healthy indoor spaces (air quality, natural light, comfort), 63.7% wanting to prioritize water efficient fixtures, landscaping and operations, 50.2% for exceptionally responsible landscaping and turf management practices (fertilizer, soil management), 43.6% for use of renewable energy sources in daily operations (clean electricity, solar panels, geothermal), 34.8% for use of recycled/repurposed construction materials, 33.5% for exceptional energy efficiency in daily operations beyond what is required by code, 30.9% for minimizing construction impacts on neighbors and the environment and 20.8% for access to electric vehicle charging in the parking lot.

With the survey results, the website outlines that the project’s overall goals encompass increasing the operational efficiency across the campus, providing a higher level of service, expanding programming, reducing carbon emissions, building a master plan for the next 50 years and more.

“Your perspective will help shape the long-term vision for the campus — its layout, operations and the types of improvements that matter most,” the website reads. “If you have not visited the Aspen Golf Club recently, we invite you to stop by, walk the facilities, have lunch or dinner at the restaurant and then share your impressions — what worked, how your experience felt and what you would like to see in the future.”

Following the community meeting/open house April 22, the next steps include a work session with Aspen City Council in May or June.

For more information, visit https://www.aspencommunityvoice.com/aspen-golf-club-master-facilities-plan.