Local golfers may have the chance to play a round at Colonial Acres as soon as this weekend.
On Wednesday, March 27, the Bethlehem Town Board voted to allow PGA golf professional Dale Ezyk to operate Colonial Acres Golf Course. The town will continue to lease the golf course from the Open Space Conservancy.
“The way I look at it, we’re reserving a seat at the table to for the future and this will ensure the community has a say about something literally in our backyard,” said Councilman Kyle Kotary.
Ezyk, a golf pro with 22 years of experience, expressed interest in operating the course and agreed to a three-year operating agreement with the town. Equipment will be purchased from the town over those three years, with the town receiving $8,000 per year. The town and land conservancy will also split a small portion of all profits on a sliding scale, except those earned through private tutorials.
Clarkson said the town is expected to receive about $9,000 in the first year of the agreement, with all work being done by Ezyk and his employees. There is an option to continue to the agreement after the first three years.
Ezyk, who was most recently the head golf professional at Brooklyn Country Club in Connecticut, was one of two people who were seriously considering operating the golf course. He met with town officials and submitted a proposal in mid January. He became aware of the opportunity to lease the golf course through the PGA’s website, where there are listings for job opportunities.
He hopes 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.
Golf Course Superintendent Patrick Blum has agreed to stay on at Colonial Acres. Many of the course’s sustainability practices are expected to continue.
The town opted to no longer fund operation of the golf course in the 2013 budget. The town had previously projected the nine-hole, par-three course to run at an annual loss of $40,000. Scheduled capital improvement projects could have seen the town spending up to $270,000 in the coming years.
For now, Ezyk plans to run the golf course with no improvements to the site. If he wishes to do so in the future, the town has agreed to renegotiate a longer contract so Ezyk can continue to operate the course while he tries to recoup his investment.
At a public hearing, two residents spoke against the proposal, while a representative of the Colonial Acres Neighborhood Association said the group was in favor of the deal.
“It’s a nice piece of property and an asset to the town,” he said.
The golf course will keep the same phone number and eventually Ezyk said he plans to start a separate website for the course. For now, information on Colonial Acres can still be found on the town’s website or by calling the Parks and Recreation department.