Lincoln's Log

When I moved to Greenwich almost 10 years ago, I marveled at the low fees for golf and boating which added to the special status the town enjoyed as a place of unparalleled value.

Nowadays though, the dramatic increase in fees the last few years is about to change that value proposition. Take boating as an example. The storage fee for Greenwich Point is going up to $24 a foot. Add to that the cost of $11 a foot for hauling and launching, and we’re now approaching and soon exceeding $46 a foot which makes some of the area’s private marinas look increasingly attractive, especially when you consider they provide additional services such as water and power. Earlier this year the town also jacked up the mooring fee to $100 from $35.

Golf has a similar trajectory in Greenwich where the local municipal course now charges $25 a round on the weekend. If you choose to ride in a cart, that will be another $29 unless you can find someone to split that cost. Total cost for one round? $54. Add to that the $140 annual membership fee and we’re starting to look more like what they get at private courses in the area.

No wonder my rounds at the Griff are down considerably this year. The good news is that I have discovered many other beautiful courses in Fairfield County such as Longshore in Westport and Richter Park in Danbury. Their gain is Greenwich’s loss. My prediction is is that the Griff will record both a decline in membership fees and number of rounds in 2009.