After less than three months of searching, the Town of Bethlehem may soon have a deal in place to lease operation of the Colonial Acres Golf Course to a PGA golf professional.
Dale Ezyk, a golf pro with 22 years of experience, is expressing intense interest in operating the course, and said he has hammered out a three-year operating agreement with the town.
Ezyk, who was most recently the head golf professional at Brooklyn Country Club in Connecticut, was asked to meet with town officials after approaching Parks and Recreation Director Nan Lanahan in mid-January and submitting a proposal to operate the course. He said he became aware of the opportunity to lease the golf course through the PGA’s website, where there are listings for job opportunities. He said he simply loves the game, loves to teach it and wants to continue to make golf an economically viable sport within the town.
“Golf in the U.S. is on the decline. The PGA hired a research firm to find out why people aren’t playing as much golf as in the past,” he said. “The answers were it takes too long, it’s too hard and it’s too expensive. Colonial Acres is going to remain affordable … and with my expert instruction we’ll make it not quite so hard.”
The town opted to no longer fund operation of the golf course in the 2013 budget. Proposals to run the course were sought beginning in January. In the beginning, officials said 12 people showed interest, but only two seemed serious.
“We did have a number of people come forward and that was very rewarding, however I’ve learned that this process is not unlike selling a house or car,” said Town Supervisor John Clarkson. “A lot of people come forward and kick the tires, but they don’t necessarily walk away with a deal.”
The town had previously projected the nine-hole, par-three course to run at an annual loss of $40,000. Additional scheduled capital improvement projects could have seen the town spending up to $270,000 in the coming years, a figure former Golf Course Superintendent Patrick Blum disputed as the defunding of the course was discussed.
The Bethlehem Town Board first agreed to lease Colonial Acres Golf Course in 2008 for $1 per year from the Open Space Conservancy. The five-year agreement called for Bethlehem to maintain the 43-acre Colonial Acres property. The lease expired in August of 2012, but the two parties continued on a month-to-month basis.
Ezyk, 62, plans to relocate to Bethlehem during the golf season with his wife, but they will also keep their home in Connecticut. His son, Dale Ezyk, Jr., will also help with operating Colonial Acres. If all goes well, the course should be open as soon as the snow is gone and the place has had some sprucing up.
The golf pro said he wants to focus on teaching the game to new players, and promote golf as a source of family entertainment. Some ideas include couples golf evenings, junior golf, night golfing under the lights and family days. He also said the PGA’s primary golf development initiative is a program called “Get Golf Ready,” and he plans to offer it at Colonial Acres. It’s a package of five golf lessons in a group atmosphere over five weeks for $99.
“I want to build an atmosphere where there is always going to be a game that anyone can join,” he said.
Ezyk said Blum has agreed to stay on at Colonial Acres. Ezyk said he wants to maintain the town’s environmentally friendly practices as much as possible, and congratulated Blum for what he was able to accomplish. Colonial Acres has been awarded for its stewardship in past years.
The lease has yet to be finalized, but Ezyk said it will likely involve the town taking a small percentage of the gross income. Ezyk said he hopes to purchase equipment over several years and make improvements to the course based on need.
The Town Board cannot vote on the proposal without first holding a public hearing on the subject. Residents will have their chance to speak on the proposal at the Town Board meeting on Wednesday, March 27.