Sligo Golf Course Task Force Finishes Its Work

The Montgomery County task force charged with deciding the future of the golf course which flanks Sligo Creek has finished its work, and the Sligo Creek Golf Association has posted both the county report and its own reaction to the report’s conclusions on its website this week.

Although some might question further spending on a golf course during such a tight budget year, the SGCA says that their analysis shows the course could be self sustaining without subsidy from the county. Importantly, the SGCA has also drawn up a plan which would require the dedication of “all non-golf course revenue generated on SCGC property to capital improvements at the course,” according to a press release put out last week by the organization.

I’m not sure I agree with all of the SGCA findings and recommendations. I’m still digesting many of them.

I do think, however, that a private operator would be a much better alternative for the management of this course. As the SGCA says, “The course and the community will be best served by a partner who is committed to the continuation of golf operations.”

(For those unfamiliar with the golf course debate, I guess I should explain that many question the sincerity of the entity known as the Montgomery County Revenue Authority, or MRCA. It seems to many observers that MRCA never wanted the Sligo Golf Course to succeed in the first place, and that it has a strangely vested interest in seeing it fail. Many also feel that MRCA never made any real effort to “partner” with the community in the management process.)

I suppose that in an ideal world it wouldn’t be just any private operator running the course, but rather one who would serve the real needs of the community where the golf course is located. I would especially LOVE to see an operator that is familiar with green golf course management, one that embraces modern, low-impact design and touts the benefits of conservation landscaping. That is, afterall, becoming common in the golf course world right now.

A private operator that advertised and actively marketed this course would also be wonderful. One that enhanced its beauty and environmental value would be even better. Best of all would be an operator that embraced the notion of urban golf course management, one that actively pursued educational and recreational partnerships local schools.

Besides, I think many of the local neighbors have found the MRCA’s obfuscation frustrating. A manager that focused on pleasing neighbors in order to ATTRACT them to play would be a real change for Sligo.

There would have to be some county oversight in this somewhat Eutopian vision I have for the course’s future. Without strict oversight, an outside manager could simply pave the entire place or make it a 24 hour mini-golf course. (Something like that almost happened under MRCA’s management!) Although such a place might make money, it certainly wouldn’t achieve any kind of sustainable vision for the greater Sligo watershed.

Let me interrupt myself here to acknowledge that it might seem odd that I care this much about this course. I have never played a single game of golf in my entire life.

But as I’ve written several times in the last few years, this situation is unique. Sligo Golf Course provides one of the few places downcounty where those who *do* golf can play a few holes without driving far. To me this amenity provides an important incentive for keeping a lot of local residents from moving to the sprawling outer suburbs where golf courses are plentiful. Such recreational amenities are essential to making smart growth and the Silver Spring revitalization a continued success.

And having a local course also prevents many dozens of small trips up 270 by golfers. We’ve been told again and again by urban planners that those small trips add up to lots of pollution and congestion, and the entire DC area has been advised more than once to work towards reducing such trips by increasing local amenities in the areas where people actually live and work.

Moreover and on a much more personal note, the course provides a green, open space that might other wise be gobbled up by developers in this already-too-dense location. That’s a whole other kind of “amenity” that all too often goes unrecognized in this area: an open vista not filled with buildings. I ride my bike by the course at least once a week all year long. I understand its value from an entirely different point of view.

There are, of course, ways the green could be improved. Those improvements would include reducing the nutrient load on the nearby creek by reducing fertilizer use, planting more natives and more trees in general along the edges of the course, and installing raingardens at the lowest sections to reduce run-off from the hilly, sloping greens. The course could also envelope or embrace other uses in the off season. The pro shop could sell bike and soccer supplies and snacks to trail users, too.

I continue to find it frustrating that the county is thinking in a very “old school” way about this course. Instead of investing in its future and its sustainability, the county keeps contemplating its demise in favor of fancier courses elsewhere. If the county truly believes in both a restored Sligo and a thriving Silver Spring/Wheaton area, then that kind of thinking has got to stop.

What are your thoughts on Sligo Golf Course?

Save Sligo Golf wants to hear from you, even if you don't golf or ever intend to learn how to do so. They are taking a survey of non-golfers right now, in order to give a voice to those who actually live near the area, since many feel that recent actions taken by Montgomery County to cut funding for the course have not actually acknowledged the park's real users.



To participate in the survey, go to:
http://www.sligocreekgolfassociation.org/

County Council votes to keep Golf in Sligo Creek Park

Just got an email from The Sligo Creek Golf Association as follows:

The SCGA applauds the County Council's 7-2 vote today to keep the 9-hole course open through June 30, 2010. SCGA also looks forward to participating on the 17- to 19-member task force that will recommend a long-term financial plan for the course by Jan. 19.

The course had been slated to close on October 1...

...Councilmember Valerie Ervin authored the resolution forming the task force, which will include representatives from the Sligo Creek Golf Association, Friends of Sligo Creek and the North Hills of Sligo Civic Association as well as county officials and representatives of veterans’ organizations.

The resolution was co-sponsored by Councilmembers Marc Elrich, Nancy Floreen, George Leventhal and Duchy Trachtenberg. Councilmembers Roger Berliner and Nancy Navarro also supported the $150,000 supplemental appropriation proposed by County Executive Ike Leggett.

“The people in the community surrounding Sligo Creek Golf Course and golfers from around the county should be commended for their advocacy and the efficacy of their advocacy,” said Ervin. “We’ve heard you. We’ve hard you loud and clear. We understand that Sligo Creek Golf Course is really a jewel in our community. So we have to roll up our sleeves and get to work.”

Berliner, who was the last undecided member of the Council, said he went over to the course Monday to talk to Sligo Creek golfers. “People were clearly enjoying it and people from all socioeconomic backgrounds were enjoying it. That is one of the things that strikes you immediately,” said Berliner.

{end quoted part of press release}

Well, I'm glad anyhow. I've been advocating all along to keep it as a golf course. I'd love to see the whole place turned into a green model, complete with low impact design and low fertilizer use, native plants and more trees. We'll have to see about that. At least for now it won't be heavily developed, heavily lighted, or otherwise built up.

For more info visit the SCGA website by clicking here.

Sligo Golf Course... Where to Begin Before it Ends

Every time I get ready to post something about the Sligo Creek Golf Course on this blog, the whole story changes so much that I decide not to post... YET. I wanted to write something which would explain the mess that is the political battle over the course.... how environmentalists, golfers, people who live near to the course are all fighting to try to keep this incredibly popular course open. I wanted to write something about how it happens that a bunch of people who have never played golf EVER want to hold on to this resource, and those that do play golf want to hold on to it even more... and I wanted to explain how much the course and its relatively low impact current use means to those who work for the betterment of the creek.

At the very least I wanted to explain to the uninformed what the heck all those green signs that say "Keep Sligo Golf Open" mean.

I have realized that would take such an insane amount of time that it would be plain stupid. By the time I finished writing such a post, the whole thing would be over and done.

So instead I will say this.

County Council member Valerie Ervin has sent an email out that says her office is working hard to try to keep the course open. Delegate Al Carr has said the same. There have been warnings that notices will soon go up saying the course will close for ever on Oct 1. This is not a done deal, according to many many people.

But.

If you care about the course or the creek, I would say now is the time to contact your county council members. Because nothing is final and they need to hear that we, as voters, want to see the course stay open.

It is my own dream to see the course remain open but become a model for green golf course maintenance in the county. I can't understand why we have a huge effort underway to GREEN up Bethesda, but here we have a great opportunity presenting itself in good old Silver Spring and well... the green option has yet to be seriously explored.

Okay. Actually, I can understand it. Its par for the course in this county. We are sometimes treated like second class citizens over here. The amazing thing is, we like our community and have some great things going on. We actually would not wish to live over THERE. But some of us would LIKE to PLAY golf close to home. We have no other options. This lovely little public course has provided a close by option to many for many years.

As an aside I have to say that I am not a golfer myself, and neither is anyone in my family. But I bike past the course several times a week, and shiver to think what would happen if the course was destroyed and that area became heavily developed for other purposes...

Giving up the course to lighted mini golf was unthinkable both from a traffic control stand point and an environmental standpoint. (This had been suggested back at the beginning of the controversy. Several angry town hall like meetings later this suggestion was withdrawn.) There are simply loads of people in this part of the county who LOVE to golf. And a lot of them would then have to drive to the upper part of the county. This would be stupid, but also show a complete disregard for those who live in the downcounty area and pay taxes. Meanwhile, it would also add more cars to crowded roads like 270. Again and again traffic planners have told us that one of the best ways to reduce traffic is to provide resources locally, and not force people to drive everywhere.

But also, the course is well used and well loved now. If it ain't broke, don't fix it. Or, more to the point, don't throw it away.

And besides, many of us are suspicious about the reasons for the course's possible closure in the first place. Somethin just aint right in those numbers. Somethin just aint right in the way the whole thing has unfolded...