The city of West Bountiful, Utah made the final $265,000 payment this month of the $2 million bond that was used to expand the golf course to 18 holes in the 1990s. Though the golf course didn’t burn an actual mortgage document, it did set up a target that read “golf course mortgage” on the driving range, and anyone who hit it won a candy bar. Residents were also invited to hit a free bucket of balls and play a free nine-hole game.

After years of being in the red, the Lakeside Golf Course has paid off its bonds and the city of West Bountiful, Utah held a “Mortgage Burning Party” at the course on September 28, the Ogden (Utah) Standard-Examiner reported.

Mayor Ken Romney said he is confident that the city-owned golf course will begin generating revenue after struggling to be self-sustaining. The city made the final $265,000 payment this month of a $2 million bond the city took out in the mid-1990s to expand it into a full 18-hole golf course, the Standard-Examiner reported.

The news comes about one month after the city hired a new golf pro and director for the course, Mike Holden. Holden was hired to replace Kelly Class, who had managed the course for 20 years and had a controversial departure, the Standard-Examiner reported.

However, the course isn’t necessarily done owing money. During the recession, the golf course needed to be subsidized by the city’s general fund, including money from the 2011 tax increase and 2010 water bill increase—up to $150,000. The course’s revenue goal for the next year is about $200,000 annually, Romney said. Half of that will be used to pay back the city, the Standard-Examiner reported.

The course has struggled to be self-sustaining in recent years, but after removing five full-time positions and with the bond fully repaid, the course seems to be back on track to pay its own expenses, the Standard-Examiner reported.

“[Golf courses are] big money eaters,” said Holden. “So for us to start turning profit is a big deal.

“I want to get it back to the people’s course. I played junior golf here as a kid, so I know it can be a great place to bring your family,” Holden said.

The remainder of the course’s revenue will go into improvements for the course, including landscaping and new programs planned by Holden such as junior golf camps, the Standard-Examiner reported.

Residents at the party were invited to hit a free bucket of balls and play a free 9-hole game. The city didn’t burn an actual mortgage document, but a target that read “golf course mortgage” was set up on the driving range and anyone who hit it won a candy bar, the Standard-Examiner reported.