New partner buying into Quincy Golf Club

Quincy port takes back seat to Wenatchee fruit exporter

QUINCY - Less than a month ago, it looked like the Quincy Golf Club might not open this year.

But with new partner Del Jennings buying in, he and partners Randy and Charley O'Banion have been hard at work preparing the grounds.

Jennings is in the process of buying partnership in the club, buying out three other owners. He hopes to finish the process in several weeks.

Owner-operators Randy and Charley O'Banion remain partners in the club, and deferred questions to Jennings. They declined to discuss the price of the purchase.

"(We're) continuing the golf course, but bringing it back into the condition it wasn't for a long time," Jennings said.

A Wenatchee resident for 27 years, Jennings said he is a fresh fruit grower-exporter. He recently sold an orchard, and felt the golf course looked like a good investment. He had golfed at the 113-acre, 5,966-yard course before, playing in several tournaments.

"I thought the potential is great and it certainly shows that to be the case," he said. "Quincy needs somebody to pick up the ball here. I didn't feel comfortable idling in retirement and I feel I've got a few good years left in me. I'd like to put it to work."

The club essentially opened the last weekend, Jennings said, although the course had been allowing people to play on the honor system.

"We're changing the tube system slightly, but anybody can still come any time if no one is in the club house," he said. "We're going to have full-time attention to the club house starting this weekend."

The club remains open to the public.

Jennings and the O'Banions have been pushing to get the course in order and hope to bring in somebody to stay at the counter, collecting green fees and selling snacks and beverages.

"It's an 18-hole course, and it was a beautiful course at one point," Jennings said. "It needs some TLC and I feel an opportunity to bring it back. Maybe that's a selfish, personal reward thing, but it's going to be a reward for the community, moreso than me."

The recreational vehicle park portion of the club increases "significantly," Jennings said, with more spaces and more services.

He expects to cater heavily to RV groups and make the course more of a family atmosphere.

"I'd like to see a swimming pool, miniature golf," he said. "All those things are down the road, but if everything works and continues to support itself, that will be the course of action."

Jennings said three to four people are going to work the course, and three people inside the clubhouse, in addition to the O'Banions and himself.

The golf club was originally built in 1986. The O'Banions have been operators for seven years.

Last month, the Port of Quincy held a meeting to see if there was public interest in maintaining the golf course, and the port district possibly taking over operation. Those in attendance were nearly unanimous in their desire to see the club continue.

At the time, Charley O'Banion said his family and company had several options they were considering.

So far as Jennings knows, the port is not taking over the operation, unless something goes wrong with the sale, he said.

"One of the things about the other buyers that were in line, is the Port of Quincy included," he said. "Had they taken it over, it would not have gotten a chance to open this year, probably, and it would not be making as rapid improvements as it's made. I've put money in it already to get it off the ground, get it going and bring it to an open status."

It's important to have a fun, social atmosphere, Jennings asserted.

"This is a whole new adventure for me and at moments it seems overwhelming, but it's also been such a warming experience from the people I've met so far who have expressed a real appreciation for the change coming," Jennings said. "I feel a real opportunity to answer some of those wants."

For more information, call the club at 509-787-3244