This is another installment in 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 Ron Buerger, director of golf at Eagle Crest Resort in Redmond.

Buerger has been in charge of Eagle Crest’s golf operations since 2007. This is what he had to say about the current business of golf and about Eagle Crest, a resort with three 18-hole golf courses:

Q: How was business in 2014?

A: 2014 was another successful positive growth year for Eagle Crest Resort. We set new records for memberships, growing our number by 21 percent.

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

A: Customers are loving our new fleet of industry-leading Club Cars (golf carts), and the new expansion of the third green (on the Ridge Course) is ready for action.

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

A: We will be renovating many of the bunkers on the Ridge Course and improving the cart paths on the Resort Course. We are also adding some combo tee options to our scorecards this spring.

Q: Much has been made about new initiatives to grow the game (FootGolf, 15-inch holes, Speedgolf, etc.). What, if any, of those initiatives would you consider the most promising?

A: I believe each facility will have to weigh the pros and cons of implementing any of the golf-related initiatives being tossed around as a grow-the-game outreach. The variation I personally believe is the most promising is the Fling golf concept, which uses the golf course and golf ball in an unaltered state and incorporates a lacrosse-style throwing of the golf ball.

Q: Has your club either started to offer or does it plan to implement any of those initiatives?

A: Yes, we plan to open our Challenge Course up to Fling golf by the summer.

— Reporter: 541-617-7868, zhall@bendbulletin.com.