JOSH DAVIS/BAYSIDE GAZETTE
Ocean Pines homeowner Larry Perrone, last Saturday, said he did not support a motion proposed by Director Slobodan Trendic to lease out the community golf course.

By Josh Davis, Associate Editor

(Nov. 15, 2018) For the second straight month, Ocean Pines golf operations dominated the public comment period of a board of directors meeting.

Last month, several members of the golf community protested assertions by Director Frank Daly that temporarily closing the course could save money. On Saturday, many of the same golfers opposed a motion by Director Slobodan Trendic to lease the course.

Larry Perrone, president of the Ocean Pines Golf Council, said it was a case of “here we go again.”

Perrone said outsourcing golf had already been tried, with Billy Casper Golf and Landscapes Unlimited each having a turn at managing the course during the last decade. The course lost money in both cases.

“This is the definition of insanity – trying to do the same thing over and over again, and not being successful,” he said. “You can’t make this golf course successful if we keep changing direction – and that’s exactly what’s going to happen here.”

Perrone said Trendic was reacting to a recent editorial in the Ocean Pines Progress.

“Tom Stauss (the paper’s publisher), his opinion is we should lease out the golf course. Next thing you know, Director Trendic has a motion on the floor to lease out the golf course,” Perrone said. “I don’t know who’s wagging who here, but it sure looks like the tail is wagging the dog.

“I find that offensive,” he continued. “The golf community has had enough.”

Perrone said he and other golfers planned to “establish a war fund chest” so they could legally opposed any further attempt to close or outsource Ocean Pines golf.

Ann Shockley, chairwoman of the Women’s Golf League in the Pines, also opposed Trendic’s motion.

She said outsourcing food and beverage operations had worked because no one in the administration had expertise in restaurants. That’s not so with golf, Shockley said, as Golf Director John Malinowski and Superintendent Andre Jordan are both experienced, and General Manager John Bailey was formerly an assistant PGA golf pro at the Evergreen Country Club in Haymarket, Virginia.

“I am tired of the golf course being a target every time … finances are discussed,” Shockley said. “It is an amenity. It gives value to Ocean Pines, value to the community … and value to the properties.

“I do not expect amenities to make great profits – I expect them to enhance my lifestyle, and they’re the reason I moved here and pay my assessment,” she added.

Don McMullen, president of the Ocean Pines Men’s Golf Association, said a number of 2019 tournaments had already been scheduled at the course. Moreover, he asked that members of the golf community be brought into these discussions before they reached the floor for a vote.

Nelson Fenwick said any company that leased the course would be more interested in making a profit than enhancing homeowners’ experience. He said a profit-making approach could lead to a reduction in maintenance.

“It will start a downward spiral,” he said. “The golf course deteriorates, less people play, less money. The answer? Cut maintenance again, until instead of having a golf course what we have is a dog track.”

Joe Reynolds also urged the board not to support the motion. He said there had been plenty of talk about financial loses in golf during his three decades in the community, but added, “Quite frankly, we’ve gotten beyond that.”

“Last year’s audited financial report I believe indicated a $5,000 operational profit. Let’s not beat something when it’s doing much better,” Reynolds said. “Ten years ago or so golf lost … half a million dollars.

“Golf is doing well. Malinowski and his people seem to be doing a good job. I don’t know why we want to rock this boat at this time, but I would urge you not to do this,” he added.

Two hours into the meeting, when the motion finally came up, it died for lack of a second.

Director Esther Diller briefly argued that information – including looking into leasing the golf course – was always a good thing, but Association President Doug Parks said the board had already gotten that.

“What I’ve observed is the willingness of people that are associated with the golf environment and not associated with the golf environment – board members [and] other committee members – all providing information,” he said. “I think that dialog will continue.”