In an ongoing attempt to reduce expenditures at Devil's Thumb Golf Club, golfers will be allowed to take their own golf carts onto the course — as long as they meet "common sense" standards.

The golf course advisory committee is developing those standards, which will include language limiting the type/amount of alcohol that can be carried in coolers attached to the private golf carts.

They will also establish trail fees. The regulations will be in place by April 1, the date established for golfers to begin using their own carts.

Local golfers were forced to give up their golf carts when Devil's Thumb opened in July 2001. Although he wasn't associated with the golf course at that time, Devil's Thumb manager Rob Sanders knows the issue is still a sore point with the folks who used their own carts on the old nine-hole Cottonwood course.

The new policy will allow the city to cut back on the number of carts it provides at Devil's Thumb, reducing lease and maintenance costs. Sanders said the fleet will be reduced from 58 to 50, but because of lease agreements currently in effect, savings won't be realized until 2014.

To cover the rising cost of repairs, fees on the city-owned carts will be increased about 13 percent. Sanders said some golfers drive their carts like four-wheel-drive vehicles through the rugged, rocky terrain, increasing repair costs which must be absorbed by the city.

The city council also approved rate changes for golf memberships, which have not gone up for six years.

"These adjustments are needed for us to increase revenue and become more competitive," Sanders told city council members last month. He also recommended the types of memberships be cut back to simplify the process for both staff and members.

Greens fees will not change. "It's difficult to raise rates when people have less discretionary income," Sanders said. "Golf courses are offering deals all over the place just to get people to play golf."

The new cart fees are expected to generate about $12,000; the new membership rates will increase revenue about $2,000. An additional $5,000 in revenue will be realized if the couples and individuals who have restricted memberships (which have been eliminated) purchase unrestricted memberships.

Sanders reported the volunteer program is also being restructured. During 2011 the golf course lost a "significant" number of volunteers who discovered they had to claim their compensation (free golf) on their tax returns. They were then forced to pay taxes on the value of an unrestricted membership and cart fees.

"We added a $250 credit at the pro shop to compensate our golfers for their tax liability," Sanders said. "Even so we lost a fair number of volunteers."

The rates changes were unanimously approved by the Delta City Council in January.