Is it the golf resurrection/restoration story of the year? In a manner of speaking. They had given their course up for dead and now it's back and the whole region is celebrating. After 15 years of mind-boggling neglect by the prior owner, including buying seed for the greens at Lowe's Home Improvement, Crestwood was sold to former Teugega pro Steve Nacewicz and it's back from the grave.
http://jayflemma.thegolfspace.com/?p=4625From the article:
On the dark ages:
“You couldn’t tell where the fairways were,” explained Crestwood golfer Jim Twomey. “He kept it like a hayfield. There was no short grass to play on, it was all weeds.”
“It was awful,” echoed local golfer Don Diefenbacker. In 2007 our whole league left. “We couldn’t deal with the conditions anymore. Plus he was cheap. He never gave you any reduced rates until after six o’clock.”
Interviewees went on to list a litany of other issues that were confirmed by numerous other players, such as:
– “He followed you around with binoculars, watching you from a hole away while you were playing. It was so annoying! And he never put money into maintaining the golf course.”
– “He wouldn’t water the course, aerate the greens, or feed or treat the grass.”
– “He bought seed for the greens at Lowe’s Home Improvement.”
On the restoration:
“You can’t understate what Steve and his family did here,” said Murad. “They rescued this golf course and the whole area is grateful.”
It’s a homespun, feel-good story, a Norman Rockwell painting come to life in all its Americana and charm.
“There is life here again,” echoed John Capraro, another past and present member. “The course is back, but more importantly the club is back. The nice, friendly people who made it so much fun to be a part of back in the ’80s have all gathered again, along with new, younger members. It’s vibrant and it’s great to be a part of it. The pride in the club has returned, and we couldn’t be more grateful.”
Remember how when Steve and family bought the course there were only 11 members? In one calendar year that number rose to 185. Steve and family proved the old adage wrong – you can go home again.
On its value to golf:
Your course doesn’t need a TV deal or a major championship to make a difference in the golf world. If, as one writer put it, American culture is too often nothing more than a pastiche of fixations, a cow-tow to commercialism and an obsession to devour the largest amount of gratification and self indulgence, the homespun charm of Crestwood and its members is a wonderful throwback, but most certainly not an anachronism in any way. It has sincere value to golfers and to golf – a great place to play at a fair price with people who are as excited to play the game as you are, not the insincere value of conning people into pretending they are country club members for a day. For 20.00 USD at Crestwood you get a great golf course with kind-hearted people. For 300.00 USD at other facilities you get to look at a locker with pros name on it, a fancy bag tag, and a free lunch. You may or may not be required to genuflect to them and tell them how great they are.
Is it the restoration of the year? Maybe so, maybe not, but it’s definitely the resurrection of the decade. It gave a community of golfers a rebirth, a second chance. It proves you can go home again, and you can’t put a price tag on that. In an age of excess, Crestwood’s resurgence proves that the most precious things in life are unseen, but heartfelt. And all golf is better for that.
By the way, I know the link works, so if someone comes on and says it doesn't, they are wrong.