Further golf course renovation in a rough

The planned renovation of all 18 holes at Lawrence Village Country Club has found its way into a sand trap, and now some members are worried that unless a commitment by local lawmakers is made to complete the project, many golfers will go elsewhere.

The first phase of a renovation plan for the Lawrence Country Club golf course that involved sprucing up holes 1, 2, 3, 4, 17 and 18, was approved by the Village of Lawrence Board of Trustees a year and a half ago, was completed last year, but the remainder of the project has not been committed to by lawmakers. The country club's longtime greens keeper, Howard Teitelbaum, said during the Jan. 14 Lawrence Board of Trustees meeting that the longer the village waits to commit to the remainder of the project the more members they will lose. Teitelbaum said during the meeting he knows of 10 members who are non-Lawrence residents who have switched to other country clubs, which accounts for a loss of $60,000 for the village-owned facility, he said.

Lawrence village trustee and parks commissioner Edward Klar said in response to Teitelbaum's concerns that a decision on whether to move forward with the renovation project is expected next month, The upgrades to the first six holes cost around $700,000 but it is unknown what the exact expenses would be to renovate the remaining 12 holes, according to Lawrence Village Country Club general manager Frank Argento, who said he remains optimistic that the project will eventually be completed.

"We are working with the board to try and get this done," said Argento. “I think this board is committed to doing something."

Klar did not return calls seeking comment.