THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Thursday, September 21, 1995 TAG: 9509200161
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 06 EDITION: FINAL
LENGTH: Long : 106 lines
When I first arrived in the area in 1992, I was very pleased to discover such a gem as Sleepy Hole Park among the unimaginative courses at Lake Wright, Kempsville Greens, Ocean View, Smithfield Downs, Bow Creek, etc.
Not only is the course more diverse, interesting and sculpted; it also is just plain fun to play. And it is one of the few courses where they have people starting on the tenth hole as well as the first between 7 and 9 a.m. in the summer. This allows solo players without a regular group to arrive at 8 o'clock on a Saturday or Sunday morning and be walking on the fairway by 8:30 instead of waiting an hour or perhaps not even playing.
Alas, this past spring, the Portsmouth Recreation Department had to go and spoil a great deal (I didn't mention that the green fee was only $12 on weekdays) by placing the course under new management. Shortly thereafter, ``improvements'' began: an added wing to the clubhouse so the snack bar would have more tables for its few customers, and the new pro now has his very own private pro shop.
Speaking of the new pro, apparently he brought one of his better ideas from the Suffolk course. Now on the weekend, which he defines as Friday through Sunday, golfers cannot walk the course until after 2 p.m. Instead, we are relegated to blaze down the cart paths (pavement should be illegal on a golf course) between golf shots, presumably so that play may proceed at a faster pace and more players are accommodated.
A player who walks can gain a far better appreciation of the layout and analyze the next shot while walking to the golf ball, versus the speed racer who is chasing down his partner's golf ball as well as his own.
Besides, do we always have to be in a hurry in this society? I thought golf was supposed to be a relaxing game. Let us put away the smelly and noisy carts, and smell the trees and flora, hear the birds chirping, see the chipmunks scampering and get a little exercise, so we don't look like we sit in golf carts instead of walking. Also, the damage inflicted on the fairways by carts will be significantly reduced by getting golfers out of their carts.
And then there is the matter of the green fee that rose to $17 (a 40 percent increase).
Oh, but the straw that broke the camel's back was the refusal of the pro shop attendant to honor a six-month-old rain check. I begrudgingly paid him the required $17 and played my last round at Sleepy Hole.
Randall C. Born
Norfolk Race good for downtown
Recent articles in The Sun have highlighted the upcoming Peanut Fest. Other articles have discussed the decline of Downtown Suffolk and plans for its revival, including the proposed courthouse.
In light of this, it is unfortunate that the Peanut Fest organizers chose to cancel this year's Peanut Fest 5K Race.
This foot race is the only Peanut Fest activity, besides the parade, that takes place in the very same downtown section of Suffolk. Unlike the parade, it has not been marred in recent years by unruly roving bands of troublemakers.
With all the attention that has been focused on the revival of the downtown area in the last few years, I find it sad that the Peanut Fest organizers would let slip an opportunity to call attention to the area in a positive way.
Joseph L. Verdirame, M.D.
East Riverview Drive
Suffolk `Big Happening' raid?
I would like to thank the state investigators for inspiring the Isle of Wight Sheriff's Department into making their recent drug raid.
But why, since the plants were discovered in December, did they wait until now to make the raid? Or is this their ``Big Happening'' for votes in the election? Or will there be another ``Big Event'' closer to election day?
Why is Isle of Wight no longer affiliated with the other local police and sheriffs' departments in the fight against drugs? Where does all the confiscated evidence go? Who is monitoring our efforts?
We need to be involved with other law enforcement agencies to form a group to work together, and candidate (Shelton) Spivey will rejoin in that fight and encourage the DARE Program, as well as the PAL Program (Police Athletic League), to fight the war against drugs.
Support the ``New Hope.'' Support and vote Spivey.
Brenda Redd
River Run Trail
Zuni Thanks for neighborhood
Many times we have heard people say they want to raise their children on a farm, in the country, in rural America. That is our dream.
This is talking about places like Hunt Club Road.
We want to thank the Planning Commissioners for Isle of Wight County for making the decisions that help keep our rural communities intact. They did just that on Sept. 12.
We feel that we will be able to continue to have these good places for raising good children. They did not give up our rural community to industry but followed the county's Comprehensive Plan, and we want to applaud them loudly.
Gene Capps
Hunt Club Road
Carrsville by CNB