Samuel Casey
I’m sure people attend The College of Wooster for countless reasons — good financial aid, amazing architecture (e.g. McGaw), gourmet food, good financial aid—butI came here for a very specific reason: free golf. When I visited Wooster, I was shocked to learn that there was a nine-hole golf course adjacent to campus where students can play for FREE. As I narrowed down my choices during my senior year of high school, I kept coming back to the golf course and how happy I would be to partake in my favorite activity without the high expense. When it came down to the final three,I ended up choosing our amazing college because of — you guessed it — L.C. Boles Memorial Golf Course.
However, a couple weeks ago I attended an open meeting with the architecture firm responsible for developing the 2020 Master Plan for the College (see: article in News section). While there are many ideas floating around, one of the main ones raised by the administration to the firm was the potential of plowing over the College-owned golf course to be utilized as space for other priorities. Obviously, I was shocked. You’re going to take away our golf course?! If it weren’t for Boles, I probably would’ve ended up at a different school. I was ready to voice my intense opposition, but I decided to think about it more.
As the firm presented new ideas andIlistenedtowhatotherstu- dents wanted to see developed during the next Master Plan, I realized it would be selfish of me to ignore the countless possibilities for that space. Of course, I am not the only opinion that matters, but I arguably love Boles more than most Wooster students, so I felt like my opinion carried some weight. The land the course occupies has so much potential for future projects and if you are skeptical about nixing the course, here are some reasons to reconsider.
To start, through past conver- sations with some members of Greenhouse, a chunk of the land can be left untouched to grow out naturally — we do not need to con- struct something on every available space just because it’s there. It is important for a campus to have this preserved nature that can be duly utilizedbyscienceclassesforre- search into the flora and fauna.
Additionally, many students vocalized additions to our campus that cannot be made due to the lack of space, turning the golf course into atabula rasa for countless new projects. Some that are already being imagined by the firm include an expansion of parking, new tennis courts and student housing.
There are also reasons to keep it. Both men’s and women’s golf teams occasionally utilize the course and driving range, and the cross country team uses it for meets. Perhaps most importantly, Boles is used by a myriad of people in the Wooster community who cannot afford a membership at Wooster Country Club; getting rid of the course potentially deprives them of a space to affordably play. I must admit, however, that the College should focus on providing a decent four-year experience for the students who pay a hefty sum. According to Vice President of Finance & Business James Prince, the College operates the course at a loss.
Ultimately, if the College decides to go through with the reutilization of the golf course, it will come with a heavy heart and more than a few tears shed, at least for me. But it is important for students to approach these Master Plans with a holistic, selfless attitude rather than one that will only benefit themselves — we’re only here for four years anyways. My only condition, however, is to keep some combination of a driv- ing range, chip and putt or miniature golf course. I’ll need some reason to come back, right?