BLOOMINGTON - The future of Highland Park Golf Course may focus on play dates for families and rerouting the course, as the city considers a range of options for a course golfers are using less and less.

"It is a very important part to our golf program because it offers golfers an affordable place to play," said John Kennedy, the city's parks, recreation and cultural arts department director. "But that's not necessarily the kind of course most golfers want to play today."

At 5,700 yards, Highland, 1613 S. Main St., is the shortest of the city's three golf courses and features a hilly terrain and mature trees.

"Locally, we seem to be following the national trend that older courses are not getting the interest," Kennedy said.

Courses such as Prairie Vista, 502 W. Hamilton Road, and The Den at Fox Creek, 3002 Fox Creek Road, are drawing more golfers despite the higher fees. Prairie Vista was built in 1991 and The Den, an Arnold Palmer-designed course, opened in 1997.

For 18 holes at Prairie Vista, golfers pay $29. At The Den, they pay $29 unless it is a Friday or weekend, then it is $38.

At Highland, which was built in the 1930s, a round of golf is $16. Increasing the fee maybe considered, but Kennedy said that is not likely. The city wants to keep Highland affordable for golfers who don't have the money to golf at the more expensive courses, he said.

As part of the department's current programming for its golf division, Highland is geared to beginning golfers and it is heavily used by the community's junior golf programs and 11 high school programs. Because it is a vital course for youth golf, closing it would be an extreme step, Kennedy said.

He added, "Everything is on the table, but we are looking at programming first."

That could mean more special events or golf outings geared to getting mom and dad or grandma and grandpa out on the course with their children or grandchildren.

Also, the course may be rerouted or numbered so golfers looking to spend an hour or two on a golf course can play a six-hole course instead of an entire afternoon playing all 18 holes. Lengthening the course also maybe considered, he said.

Taken as a whole, the city's golf program breaks even or makes a small profit every year, Kennedy said. Because of Highland's designation at the city's most affordable course, it runs at a deficit. In the current fiscal year's budget, Highland will cost $142,000 to operate while Prairie Vista is expected to make a $201,000 profit and the Den is expected to make a $70,000 profit.

Any changes at Highland would be made for next year's fiscal year, which begins May 1, 2010.