This is the latest installment of a weekly Tee To Green feature in which we check in via email with Central Oregon golf facilities for an offseason update. This week we contacted Zach Lampert, head golf professional and facility manager at Meadow Lakes Golf Course in Prineville.

Lampert, who grew up in Prineville, has been in charge of Meadow Lakes golf operations for two golf seasons. This is what he had to say about the current business of golf and about Meadow Lakes, Prineville’s municipal golf course:

Q: How was business in 2013?

A: Business in 2013 has been great. Our rounds are up for the year, and rounds have been up every month over last year except for January and September, both of which were poor weather months this year. Overall facility revenue is also up in 2013 as compared with 2012.

Q: Were any changes of note made to the facility during the past year?

A: Yes. In March we added a fifth set of tees to every hole. In doing so, we built six new forward tee boxes. The red tees moved up on those six holes, changing the total yardage of the reds from 5,155 yards to 4,858. The white and blue tees also moved forward. The whites changed from 5,849 to 5,308 and the blues went from 6,398 to 5,942. Our new set of tees are the green tees, measuring 6,453 (yards), 55 yards longer than the old blue tees. The black tees became slightly longer, from 6,731 to 6,783.

Our reasoning for the tee change was simple: create more options for golfers to help them have a better time. Golf courses can just be too long for some players, and shortening up the course helps them to enjoy their round while also speeding up play. The back tees remained challenging for the low handicaps. Overall, we are really happy with the change.

Q: Are any changes and/or improvements to the facility scheduled for 2014?

A: We are scheduled to replace half our golf cart fleet with new carts in July 2014. The remaining carts are budgeted to be replaced in 2015. This will be a nice upgrade for our golfers. We also have some minor upgrades planned for the course, including filling in the pond on hole No. 10, adding additional tee boxes on the par 3s to add more variety, and resurfacing a few of the tee boxes that have become crowned over the years.

Q: After a recession that began in 2007, how have your golf operations changed in recent years?

A: Well, we have definitely become more efficient with the use of our staff due to necessity. Each of our staff members are far more diverse with their daily tasks than they used to be. Although the budget is smaller than it once was, I believe that the consumer has benefited. Golf courses are more competitive with rates, and for us, we really focus on treating our customers the right way.

Q: Are the local golf facilities doing enough to attract and foster local play? If not, what more can be done?

A: I feel that as a group, Central Oregon has a great set of golf professionals that are doing everything they can to grow the game. There are plenty of programs to get beginners started, and I believe the number of programs and the reach of those programs will continue to get better and better. For us, we know that to this day cost remains a huge barrier for many people who would like to play the game. We try to offer a number of promotions, discounts, coupons, etc., to make golf affordable for everyone. Our motto is “Golf for Everyone” and we continue to work on new ways of fulfilling that motto.A:

Meadow Lakes Golf Course

Number of holes: 18

Status: Open year-round, weather permitting

Location: 300 S.W. Meadow Lakes Drive, Prineville

Tee times: 541-447-7113

Course stats: Par 72, 6,783 yards

Head golf professional: Zach Lampert

Course designer: Bill Robinson (1993)

Extras: Putting green, driving range, restaurant, pro shop

Website: www.meadowlakesgc.com