First-year Indian Canyon Golf Course pro Doug Phares says he, Spokane city and course officials have all but wrapped up improvements to the course and clubhouse that got underway at the end of last year’s golf season.

“I don’t want to oversell it, but it’s really what it should have been like to begin with,” Phares says. “It looks fantastic right now.”

Spokane Parks and Recreation signed Phares to a five-year contract to run the course. Phares says he’s invested $90,000 his own money into revamping the 1,200-square-foot clubhouse and pro shop. City and parks and recreation employees along with Phares did most of the renovations.

His investment also includes the arrival of 65 new golf carts. A fleet of 2016 Yamaha-brand golf carts—equipped with USB ports to charge phones—are scheduled to arrive next month. Phares says he’s also ordered a new beverage cart.

Jason Conley, executive officer for Spokane Parks and Recreation, says under the terms of the contract, Phares will make his money from any profits generated by the restaurant, pro shop, driving range, and golf cart rentals.

 “The city owns the course and generates its revenue from greens fees and golf lessons, and we’re the course superintendent and pay for water, fertilizer, sand, and other maintenance,” Conley says.

Last year’s windstorm toppled 73 trees on the course.

Phares previously was the head golf professional at the Clarkston Golf & Country Club since 2000. He’s a Spokane native who also has served as the assistant golf pro at both Downriver Golf Course and The Creek at Qualchan golf courses.

Located at 1000 S. Assembly, west of downtown, Indian Canyon is widely recognized for its views of the city looking eastward.

As part of the improvement, a solid, lava rock wall that used to encircle the patio deck off the clubhouse overlooking the course was ripped out and replaced with cable railing for an improved view.

Says Phares, “You can sit inside or outside and see everything around the course. Along with that, this spring, there was a lot of work on the hillside that cut down on vegetation and cleared a lot of brush for an even better view while on the course itself.”

Additionally, Phares says, pro shop walls were stripped and received fresh coats of paint while new carpeting and light fixtures were installed in both the clubhouse and pro shop. 

The clubhouse also has a brand new kitchen, four new TVs have been installed, and new furniture has been added.

“You want it to be a place where people want to hang out,” Phares says. “For a guy or gal to want to get off from work downtown and get in some work on their game, there just can’t be a better place to do it than here.”