March 2014 - Parks & Recreation - 24

People for Parks
Gifting Golf
A Boise, Idaho, businessman donates an 18-hole
championship golf course to his hometown
By Amy Stahl

hen businessman Dave Hendrickson acquired Quail Hollow Golf
Course in 1993, golf was primed to boom in Boise.
" When I got into this business, the community was poised for
rapid growth, " says Hendrickson. " Golf was becoming more popular. When
Tiger Woods turned professional, golf really boomed. The next 10 to 12 years
were exceptionally good for the golf business. "
In 2013, Hendrickson donated the
140-acre course, clubhouse, equipment
and pro shop to the City of Boise. Lowkey and intensely private, Hendrickson
opted to skip Boise Mayor David Bieter's public announcement of the gift.
Quail Hollow is now the second
municipal course - along with
Warm Springs Golf Course - to be
managed by the Boise Parks and Recreation Department.
" This gift to the city will ensure
that the golf course prospers, " says
Hendrickson. " Working collaboratively, the great Quail Hollow pro
shop and maintenance staff and the
professionals at Warm Springs Golf
Course will bring some new energy

Aidan Bradley Photography

Quail Hollow is a challenging par-70
course nestled in a scenic valley surrounded by sage-covered foothills and
abundant wildlife. Awarded four stars
by Golf Digest, the course features a fulllength driving range, chipping and putting green, and full-service pro shop.
Twenty years later, Hendrickson decided it was time to pursue other interests, but he was anxious to protect the
property from development and preserve the site as a course or open space.
" The land that Quail Hollow sits
on is a great piece of property, and I
did not want to see it developed, " says
Hendrickson. " It's worth more than
the business, even in the most profitable years. "

Parks & Recreation

Quail Hollow Golf Course

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to Quail Hollow. I'm excited to stand
back and watch the results. "
Boise Parks and Recreation plans
to retain the current pricing structure
but expand the men's and women's
leagues and offer more instruction
and course time for youth golfers.
Plans also call for renovation of
the clubhouse and opening a new
restaurant for daily food and beverage options, plus a special event venue with stunning views from a large
course-side deck.
The addition of Quail Hollow will
allow the city to continue to build
on the success of the popular Warm
Springs Golf Course, which operates
the area's largest youth golf program.
Warm Springs is also home to golf
teams for Boise State University and
several high schools, thriving men's
and women's leagues, corporate outings, teen camps and classes for kids.
Mayor Bieter is appreciative of
Hendrickson's donation and the opportunities it creates for residents to
develop an appreciation for the lifetime sport of golf across town from
Warm Springs Golf Course.
" The success of the Warm Springs
course shows the benefit that public
courses can have on the health of our
community, " he says.
Although Hendrickson has chosen to remain out of the limelight,
the community applauded his decision to donate the course. In an editorial, The Idaho Statesman wrote,
" Described by some as an intensely

March 2014 - Parks & Recreation

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