My friend Tommy the Golfer is usually even-tempered, fair and balanced.
I suspect that is why he shoots in the 70s when he plays his weekly round Saturday mornings at the Griff, the moniker favored by Townies for the municipal course otherwise known as the E. Griffith Harris Golf Course.
But don’t ask Tommy about the state of the course. You’ll be tapping into a mother lode of pent-up grievances. To start with, Tommy will tell you that the conditions this year were the worst that he has seen in many years. As a matter of fact the conditions the last two years were less than ideal in Tommy’s mind. The word Tommy uses most often to describe conditions around the greens and bunkers is “ratty.” And don’t get him started on the greens.
To be fair Tommy will also wax effusively about how the Griff has improved over the last 10 years, ever since they decided to use the excess revenues to maintain the course instead of returning that money to the general fund. By around 2005, the Griff was a jewel of a municipal course – the envy of all in Fairfield County.
But the recession that started in 2007 clearly had its impact. The course actually lost money this year – about $55,000 in the red. Membership was down to 3,650 – a decrease of 250 from 2008. Total rounds played were down by 2,000.
Now a “user group” has recommended to the selectmen that fees be increased in 2010. Don’t ask me who is on this user group. No one of any official capacity could tell me. I checked the town’s web site and could only find old agendas that go back to September 2008.
Tommy said they would never let a real user such as himself to be on the user group because he would tell them the truth. “And they can’t handle the truth!” Tommy said in his best impersonation of Jack Nicholson.
Anyway, Sometime over the next few weeks, in the bowels of the chambers of Field Point Road, our newly minted Townie selectmen board will approve increases of $5 for membership to $145 for next year, and increases of $1 for green fees across the board.
Moreover, the reservation system will be changed to allow for advance booking of four days instead of the current seven days. This is to give groups a better chance of booking for the weekends. There will be no refunds for cancellations – just like the old days when we had to run up to the course to sell our ticket if we wanted to cancel.
I don’t think Tommy is going to be happy to hear any of this.
The rain in June was a big problem for the course putting them in the red (2,000 rounds x $25 = $50K almost all of the $55K shortfall).
Overall I think the grounds crew does an excellent job. I agree this year the course didn’t look as good as it has in past years, but this is not always there fault. Part may be due to blight or plant disease and a lot of it is the golfers fault in not replacing divots, particularly on 13 and 14, and not repairing ball marks on the greens both of which seemed to be much worse this year.
I agree with an increase in fees especially since we will be getting a new club house next year.
Comment by Weekend golfer — December 8th, 2009 @ 8:08 am