For years, Max Salas has loved teeing off at Washington’s East Potomac Golf Links, a public course nestled in the coronary heart of the US capital where odd Americans can get pleasure from a spherical without breaking the bank.
But President Donald Trump’s controversial plans to rework the course into a facility succesful of internet hosting main championship- caliber occasions have left the 74-year-old retiree exasperated.
“Leave us alone! Leave us alone!” Salas informed AFP when requested what message he would ship to Trump.
“What the hell do we need a championship course in a public course?” he said. “We’re here, we’ve been here for years, and it’s ridiculous.”
Salas is among golfers frightened that Trump’s proposed overhaul of East Potomac could remodel an inexpensive public amenity into an costly vacation spot beyond the attain of its common gamers.
At the second, 18 holes at East Potomac prices a most of $48.
That’s a far cry from the type of charges typically discovered at privately owned golf programs — such as those owned by Trump — where inexperienced charges can typically run into lots of of {dollars}.
Trump, a famously avid golfer, has claimed that East Potomac is not match for goal.
“The current Course is old, broken, dilapidated, and of no further use or effect,” Trump said on Sunday.
“It is in very poor condition, with falling, dangerous, and disease-infested trees and, importantly, a collapsing and hazardous seawall.”
But for Salas, the rework — which will see the course closed from mid-November — also raises questions about Trump’s priorities at a time of worldwide turmoil.
“We’re in the middle of a war, and he’s over here trying to tinker with a golf course?” he said. “I mean, where is this guy’s sense? Common sense?”
– ‘I can not afford it’ –
The prospect of a championship-standard course might appeal to some golfers, but for others, the overriding concern is what the transformation could imply for their wallets.
Fidel Enrique Garcia Rendon, a 59-year-old Pilates studio proprietor, fears the price of enjoying the reworked course will put it beyond his attain.
“Unfortunately, if it goes to a championship course level, the fees are going to go from $22 to $250 or plus, $350 who knows?” he said.
“So I definitely will not be able to come here and play because at that price, I cannot afford it.”
His considerations were echoed by fellow retiree Tom Carmody, who questioned both the eventual price of the revamped course and whether the project would be accomplished.
“It just makes me nervous, quite nervous,” Carmody said.
“For one, just his ability to follow through. I mean, what’s going to happen? Will he stop halfway through or quit or something like that?”
But Carmody’s larger concern is whether the promise of continued public access will imply much if inexperienced charges rise dramatically.
“He talks about it remaining open to the public, but instead of $30 or $40 a round, maybe it’s $120, $150 a round, which is going to eliminate a lot of people.”
bur/rcw/mjf
Source hyperlink
