Inquirer: Golfers dismayed at state of Bull Creek clubhouse

A couple of Concerned Golfers have written or called recently to say they just played at Bull Creek and were dismayed by what they found.

The courses were fantastic -- never better, they said -- but the clubhouse is an embarrassment, especially by comparison. One reader said the course management has even put a toilet on a table in the clubhouse, with a sign soliciting donations to help renovate the men's and women's restrooms.

I had to see that, so I drove out there and had a chat with John Milam, the city's director of golf.

Sure enough, right there by the cash register, the base of a toilet sits on a table, soliciting funds.

Milam said a member of the golf authority heard some complaints about the restroom facilities and asked him if he had plans to renovate them. He said there's just no money in the budget for it, and the guy suggested he start taking up a collection and see if he could raise the money that way. So he went and bought a toilet base, which, he said, "generates a lot of conversation."

It's also generated more than $500 in contributions, so far.

"But we'll need $8,000-$9,000 to do the renovations," Milam said.

And such is the case with the clubhouse as a whole.

It was built in 1972 and is clearly past its prime.

So what would a new clubhouse cost? Milam said it would cost between $250-$300 per square foot, so a 5,000-square-foot clubhouse would set the city back between $1.25 million-$1.5 million.

Milam said, being a municipal golf course, a new clubhouse wouldn't have to be excessively fancy.

"Exercise rooms, spas and steam baths just aren't necessary," Milam said. "We're not a country club."

Besides, Milam said, pointing to other venues around town, such as the aquatic center, skating rink and others if you build it, you have to maintain it. And the city's budget is as tight as it's been in a long time.

"If council had the money, I think they'd be interested in a new clubhouse," Milam said. "But they don't have the money. You know that. You write about them."

Yes, and having just emerged from budget season, I can attest that the city does not have much in the way of spare change.

But, as one of my readers pointed out, the city recently found $1.7 million to spend on the expansion project at the Cooper Creek Tennis Center.

"I read that in your paper," he said.

I know. I wrote it.

"Oh. So, why can they find money for tennis, but not for golf?" he asked.

It's all about leveraging, I suspect. The city did indeed find $1.7 million for the Cooper Creek Tennis Center, but it's getting a lot of bang for those bucks.

In addition to Columbus State University kicking in a couple of million, the Columbus Regional Tennis Association (CORTA) is raising a boat-load of cash in this public-private partnership.

And CORTA donated the land for the expansion. For $1.7 million, the city's getting about $9 million worth of facilities.

It's kind of like the $244,000 public restrooms on the RiverWalk. The city only paid about $30,000, but got a $244,000 facility, thanks to the Georgia Department of Transportation.

So, here's an idea. If the city's tennis community can come together to raise funds for a public-private partnership to expand what is already a world-class facility, why shouldn't the golf community be able to do the same for what is a world-class golf facility?

If anyone wants to step forward and see if such an organization (CORGA?) could be created and then be effective, let me know and I'll help with getting the word out to the golfing community.

The fact is, Bull Creek needs a new clubhouse. And the city, which doesn't have much in the way of spare funds, seems historically more amenable to spending a little to get a lot, as it's doing at Cooper Creek and beneath the pedestrian bridge.

Again, if the folks in short pants can do it, why can't the folks in the ugly pants do it?

Seen something that needs attention? Contact me at 706-571-8570 or mowen@ledger-enquirer.com.

This story was originally published September 27, 2015 at 10:10 PM with the headline "Inquirer: Golfers dismayed at state of Bull Creek clubhouse ."