By Wyndi Veigel
News Editor
The golf program at Princeton ISD is in for some improvements and additions including an 8-hole putting green to build the program.
The Princeton ISD Board of Trustees voted during their May 18 board meeting to make an 8-hole putting green, at the cost of $xxxxxx.
The green will feature an artificial turf surface which would allow students to make an 80-foot chip to practice.
The board discussed the possibility of opening the putting green to public use.
Golf coach Bradley Patterson expressed a need to encourage students from a young age.
“If we put in the putting green, kids and families will see it and it will encourage an interest in golf,” he said.
Directory of Auxiliary Services Jim Staley presented a variety of options to the board including the same size green but with only 5-holes instead of 8-holes. This version of the project would cost about $41,000.
Another option Staley presented was building a very basic structure with concrete and artificial turf that could be open for the public, for about $20,000.
“ This is a huge benefit to our kids – half of our shots are chips. Most of our kids are dual sport kids and there is nothing like having a membership and going out and playing,” Patterson said.
Board members also discussed helping the program to subsidize memberships at the Oak Hollow Golf Course in McKinney. According to Patterson, a year membership would be $350, with families paying $100 of it and the school paying $250.
According to Athletic Director Stacy Dillard, many ISD’s are going to more of a “pay to play” mentality though parents are already responsibly for public school sports for paying for a variety of items.
Currently, the golf budget is $2,000 a year for boys and $2,000 for girls.
One of the things that the board discussed was how to offer the public time on the putting green without leaving the green open to vandalism or misuse.
“We could set a night of the week through our community education program and have someone out there to instruct and monitor people,” Superintendent Phil Anthony said.
Overall, the board approved the expense of $51,310 added to golf budget to include the putting green, memberships and the purchase of a set of two golf clubs for the junior high students to use.
Both School Board Trustee Bob Lovelady and Lisa Caldwall opposed the motion for the increase on the golf budget.
Lovelady opposed the motion stating more research was needed and Caldwell opposed the motion xxxxxxx.
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