Golf course funded by university, state grant

by Laurie Duffy
Staff Writer

The Ohio University Golf Course construction has been completed at a cost of approximately $1.8 million, said Jim Gilmore, executive director of Campus Recreation.

The funding for the five-year project came from two main sources: the Division of Campus Recreation and a state-appropriated Hocking Conservancy District assessment line item.

Doug Franklin, College of Health and Human Services assistant dean for recreation and wellness, said the golf course redesign and construction did not receive any funds that were generated from last year's tuition increase. The operating budget for the golf course is strictly an auxiliary budget, he said.

"Campus recreation funded $575,000 of the $1.8 million," Franklin said. "That was funded out of our repair and replace account that will be paid back by user fees."

Franklin said that although no definite price has been set, user fees at the golf course are expected to rise.

Before the course was redesigned, a yearly membership to the golf course was $250 for students, $400 for faculty members and $450 for community members. Those prices include one bucket of practice balls at the driving range per day for the duration of the membership. Fees per round were not available at the time of print.

"Students will pay less than the general public, but more than they did in the past," he said.

The remaining funds were allocated by the State of Ohio's capital improvement bill that included the Hocking Conservancy District assessment line item. The university received $750,000 in appropriations from that line item every two years beginning in 1995 for use during golf course redesign and construction, said John Kotowski, Director of Facilities Planning.

"The Board of Trustees approved using the assessment line item, the hiring of the consultants and the construction," Kotowski said.

The University Golf and Tennis Center, which includes the reconstructed course, is organized and administered by the Division of Campus Recreation within the College of Health and Human Services.

To celebrate the opening of the course in June 2003, Gilmore said Campus Recreation is planning a ceremony and an honorary first round that will be played by university, community and golf dignitaries. A date for the ceremony and a list of attendees has not been released.