The Ocean Pines board of directors is pretty much committed to replacing the greens if there is any hope of getting the process started that will hopefully make the golf course less of a drain on the membership’s pockets. What is a little disappointing, as well as borderline tiresome, is the nickel-and-dime-ing that seems to accompany golf course repairs generally. The amount that the membership has been asked to pay for this ongoing work appears to be just under the referendum trigger every time a new project starts.
Over the next two years the greens will be replaced at a cost, according to the board’s will, not to exceed $900,000. Following that, there will be plenty of work that needs to be done to continue to improve the course’s quality and playability.
Rather than continue to replace the entire golf course one below-referendum project at a time, the board should have the courage and the decency to tell the membership how long it will take and what it will cost and then deliver it all in one package to be voted upon. The membership should have the opportunity to decide overall what they are willing to pay for.
Failing that, the course will continue to have difficulties as the promise of the last great and needed repair is always just about $900,000 away.