The Pellucid Perspective - May 2016 - (Page 8)

GOLF COURSE REPURPOSING Bogeys become bison, boar and deer at former Ohio course Neighbors' worries over wayward Titleists pale in comparison to bullets By Jim Dunlap 8 The Pellucid PersPecTive to ensure that the preserve remains in compliance. The Department of Agriculture permit, issued in April, runs for one year, and Communications Director Erica Pitchford Hawkins said the department requires that the preserve submit samples of any animals killed to ensure they were not diseased and were healthy until they found themselves in a hunter's sights. Not surprisingly, a vocal contingent of local residents have vigorously demonstrated their objections to the hunting preserve with protests outside the preserve and at local government offices and meetings. The anticipated objections from animal rights activists were augmented by concerns that there is residential development bordering a portion of the Candywood acreage as well as a busy four-lane highway running along another boundary. To the opponents' dismay, they were told that permits for hunting preserves such as the Candywood property are issued by the two state agencies and out of the control of local officials. Residents and Candywood golfers were caught by surprise by the revelation that principals Anthony Candella and Mike Mullenax intended to create a hunting preserve. Barb Gulgas, whose ladies golf league has played regularly at Candywood Golf Course for years, said, "We weren't all that surprised that the course was for sale because it had been slowly going downhill for years, and it was never very crowded. Then they kind of put the word out in the community that it was going to be a 'game preserve' and a B&B and some of us thought, WWW.CANDYWOODWHITETAILRANCH.COM/#!ABOUT/CEE5 I t is hardly "man bites dog" caliber news these days when a golf course closes, usually because its owner can't crack the code for bringing in more money than he or she is spending to keep it open. Those former course sites are typically soon reoccupied by some form of residential, commercial or industrial development. But as far as we know, the former Candywood Golf Course in Vienna, OH is the only one whose former fairways, roughs and woodlands are slated to be dotted with not only a stocked supply of "game" animals, but also tree hunting stands - shooting platforms which the owners of the renamed Candywood Whitetail Ranch hope will soon be filled with eager "sportsmen" willing to fork over up to nearly $15,000 for shooting a trophy whitetail deer or other species such as bison, boar, elk, fallow deer or wild sheep carrying a variety of bounties. The Candywood Golf Course had been owned and operated for a number of years by the Candella family, several of whom were physicians. In recent years, both customers and playing conditions had declined, a situation that called to mind the classic chicken or egg conundrum. Approximately a year ago, the Candella clan offered the course for sale. According to Thomas Dalcalma, a broker for Street Sotheby's International Realty in Columbus, OH, they had an offer at or very near their asking price for the course early last fall from a developer who planned to build housing and/or an industrial park on the property. In October, the Candellas took the property off the market, paid damages to the prospective buyer for time and due diligence involved in the sale process, and at some point initiated the process of seeking permits from the Ohio Department of Natural Resources (ODNR) and the state's Department of Agriculture to create and operate a hunting preserve on the approximately 280 acres of golf course and adjoining property they owned. According to ODNR Wildlife District Manager Peter Novotny, their primary concern in such cases is to ensure that the animals are contained within proper fencing and that proper signage is in place designating the area as a hunting preserve. The ODNR permit is in perpetuity, although the department conducts periodic inspections May 2016

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of The Pellucid Perspective - May 2016

TOC
USGA member engagement initiative: A golden opportunity or will the goose get cooked?
Rising tide of third party management good for the industry?
Bogeys become bison, boar and deer at former Ohio course
Path to course performance benchmarking difficult, but not impossible
April golf weather impact; Giving back some of Q1 gains
Motown operators facing uphill but possible climb
From the sublime to the ridiculous

The Pellucid Perspective - May 2016