Crowbush greens get smooth overhaul

LAKESIDE — Golfers next year should notice marked improvement to the look and roll of greens at Prince Edward Island’s premier golf course.

The Links at Crowbush Cove is having its greens stripped and sodded to the original penncross bentgrass of the putting surface when the course opened 19 years ago.

T hree greens were already done a couple years ago.

The course was closed early this year to allow workers to take care of the remaining 15 greens, says Ryan Garrett, general manager of P. E. I.’ s Finest Golf, an entity that oversees operations of the four provincial golf courses including Crowbush.

The job should be complete by early next week.

Garrett says the three holes that were redone a couple years ago are always in the best condition when the course opens.

Now he expects all greens to be improved both esthetically and in quality.

“It’s just a better surface right through the season,’’ he added.

The work being done now to the 15 greens should cost between $ 20,000 and $ 40,000.

Meanwhile, Crowbush and the three other provincial courses remain in government hands.

In late August, Tourism Minister Robert Henderson reported seven responses to the province’s call for interest in eithing buying one or all of the four courses or entering into some sort of management agreement or lease.

A spokesman for the Tourism Department told The Guardian Friday there is no update on any possible purchase.

The department is still reviewing expressions of interest with the continued goal of finding alternative management of the courses.