The ownership group that makes up Columbia Golf Company LLC – the organization that bought Kennewick’s Canyon Lakes Golf Course last summer – has operated the golf course for eight months now.

In that time, Craig Eerkes, his son Chris Eerkes, and Scott Mitchell (who comprise CGC LLC, along with their spouses) have made the tweaks they wanted at the course, such as more tee times for the public while also taking care of their bread-and-butter membership group.

Chris Eerkes told the Tri-Cities Area Journal of Business last year during the multimillion-dollar purchase of the property that they wanted “to take it to the next level.”

That next-level time has come.

Chris Eerkes and Mitchell recently unveiled the group’s next vision for improvements, which will cost the ownership group millions more. 

The plans include moving Golf Universe from Edison Avenue to the course, expanding the parking lot, revamping the restaurant and other improvements designed to attract more golfers and visitors.

They say it will be money well spent.

Phased approach

Mitchell said the first two phases will happen almost simultaneously and include tearing out the little-used mini golf putting course that greets golfers as they drive into the facility.

“It will add 50 parking spots where the mini golf course is. We need more parking spots,” Mitchell said.

Parking for golf tournaments fills up very quickly, forcing latecomers to park on Canyon Lakes Drive or next to a nearby park, causing traffic congestion.

The current cart barn, which sits across from the main building that houses the Duck Pond Bar and Restaurant and pro shop, will be demolished.

Chris Eerkes said it will become an underground parking garage.

“We’re going to update our fleet of carts and go electric,” he said.

Canyon Lakes currently has 80 gas-powered golf carts but the new garage could accommodate between 120 to 140 carts.

“(The dig) has been tested to 13 feet,” said Chris Eerkes. “We’re doubling the amount of space there.”

In the meantime, Chris Eerkes and Mitchell are working on a plan for a temporary carport.

Above the future parking garage will be the new home for the pro shop, Golf Universe, a bar, snack bar and restrooms.

CGC LLC, which owns Golf Universe, moved out of its old building on Clearwater Avenue to a new, company-owned strip mall on Edison Street in January 2024. 

It might have stayed there had it not been for the LLC’s Canyon Lakes acquisition last year.

Moving Golf Universe to the new building brings everything golf together for the company.

Mitchell says they plan to add three of the top Trackman golf simulators. Throw in the large putting green as well as the adjacent driving range and there should be everything a golfer would need at one location.

Altogether, Canyon Lakes and Golf Universe employ 48 people.

The next phase of the project will be remodeling and expanding the main building. It will add 2,000 square feet to the restaurant and expand the kitchen.

The current restaurant area and adjacent deck that overlooks the No. 18 green is about 2,500 square feet.

The outside deck also will be expanded. “We think 50 to 60 people will be able to sit outside on the deck overlooking the 18th green,” said Chris Eerkes.

A 30-foot bar top will be built inside the restaurant.

Chris Eerkes says the idea is that even non-golfers – many from the hundreds of houses around the golf course – could come to Canyon Lakes for lunch or dinner.

LCR Construction is the general contractor. The architect is Draftco Designs. Paul Knutzen, who has done a lot of work with the owners, is the project engineer.

On the west side of the building, more office space will be added so that all of their employees, including Sun Pacific employees, can be located on the same campus, said Chris Eerkes.

The timeline

Dirt will begin moving soon.

“The timeline is starting around April or May,” Chris Eerkes said. “We’ve been working with the city on the permitting.”

The plan, he said, is to have these projects going from May to November.

“We have to have this done before the weather turns in the fall,” said Chris Eerkes. “We need to get through the summer, with tournaments and the membership. It’s going to be a work in process. But we have to be open for business with this construction.”

Eventually, said Mitchell, they’ll want to replace the asphalt cart paths with concrete. Asphalt has a tendency to break down over time; concrete lasts longer.

After the three main projects are completed, there is a potential down the road for another: A second restaurant on the south end of the parking lot, overlooking the No. 9 green.

But that is way down the road, if done at all, Chris Eerkes and Mitchell said.

More course availability

Meanwhile, the new owners have made a number of changes in the past eight months that have shown them success.

The first is allowing Canyon Lakes – privately owned but still a public course – to be played by more members of the general public. A common complaint over the years has been that not enough tee times available.

Now, the public can reserve tee times between 9 a.m. and noon Friday through Saturday up to 14 days out.

If there is availability three days out, the Canyon Lakes membership group can grab them.

Members can reserve tee times Monday through Thursday up to 10 days out.

They also pared back the number of tournaments they host, from 51 tournaments in 2024 to 25 this year.

There also seemed to be a golf league held almost every night of the week at the course.

“The number of weekly golf leagues were reduced,” Chris Eerkes said. “We cut those in half.”

Memberships also were adjusted.

“We changed some memberships to either being a full member, or a snowbird membership (April through September),” Chris Eerkes said.

In addition, they’ve raised rates that includes the cart with the 18 holes ($100 Friday through Sunday; $80 Monday through Thursday; $60 for twilight rates, after 2 p.m., for veterans on Military Mondays, and for seniors on Senior Wednesdays.).

The result is they’ve been seeing an uptick in rounds of golf recently, as word of the changes slowly leaked out.

Golfers from outside the Tri-Cities region also are coming to Kennewick with more frequency. For example, public courses in Spokane weren’t open this year until April 1 so a number of golfers from the area have traveled to play Canyon Lakes this year.

“This is a great place to come to from out of town,” Mitchell said.

As far as the actual golf course, both Chris Eerkes and Mitchell are thinking of a few tweaks down the road – a tree here or a bush there – though that’s not a current priority.

“In Kim Brock and Shane Davis, we have two of the best superintendents around,” said Chris Eerkes. “They’re the best in the business.”

As for Mitchell, he’ll need to step back a little more. Last year, he was named the president and CEO of HAPO Community Credit Union where he’ll be managing more than 600 people that will include employees from the recently acquired Community First Bank and a new $10 million facility in Kennewick.

Still, Mitchell will be available to help with advice.

“Chris and I grew up together. We’ve been best friends for years,” Mitchell said. “We essentially manage a 2,500-acre park. But we’re both Kennewick born and raised, and we realize the value a golf course brings to the community.

“Canyon Lakes is probably the best course around. But we want to improve the facility.”