By Mark Ambrogi
Time is ticking for Wood Wind Golf Club, Westfield’s only public course.
The management group, Cohoat & O’Neal, has been told the lease will not be renewed for 2016, and the course will close at the end of the year. Bent Tree LLC has made known the plans to sell it.
That has raised a stir in the community.
“No one is saying the owner can’t sell the golf course, but he can’t sell it and do whatever he wants with it,” said Suzy DuBois, who has tried to save the course with Kristen Burkman. “It’s zoned for three-acre lots so if he wants to sell it and put a rural subdivision in, that’s something he can do with current zoning.”
In March, Developer George Sweet proposed putting higher density housing in the area that would wipe out the course, but after a presentation to the Westfield City Council was met with opposition, there was never a request to rezone.
Burkman, another neighborhood resident, started an online petition through change.org and within 24 hours there were 500 signatures.
“I reached out to a handful of friends … and it took off like wildfire,” Burkman said. “We quickly got the petition to 1,200 signatures.”
DuBois said her primary concern is preserving the green space in the area and keeping the only public course in Westfield.
“I think it’s a really important amenity for our community to offer especially as we are trying to attract different commercial businesses here,” DuBois said. “It draws people from outside the community as well as inside the community.”
Burkman said Carmel, Noblesville and Zionsville all have city-owned courses.
“It seems like it’s something that if it could work out financially, would be a great fit with our Grand Park strategy,” she said.
Westfield Mayor Andy Cook said he would love to see the public course remain open.
“It’s an unfortunate situation,” Cook said. “The owners of the course see much more value to developing it as a residential site than a golf course. That’s a private decision, not a public decision. What we can control is the zoning and the density of a development. What was originally proposed by a developer met a great deal of opposition. I would guess the council would not have accepted it as proposed, but it never got that far.”
Cook has been asked if the city is interested in buying the course, but that seems unlikely.
“I know the residents and the golfers in the community would like to save it and we would to, but we’re hoping private enterprises will prevail and there may be a way to work around some of the difficulties and have the golf course remain,” Westfield City Council Vice President Jim Ake said. “At this time, I don’t see how we could purchase that golf course. From my understanding the price they are asking is pretty high.”
The owners of Bent Tree LLC could not be reached for comment.
“The owners are very proud of and love the course,” Matt Cohoat said. “I think it’s fair to say they would like to see the golf course continue over time. They are just trying to evaluate options both short and long term to do what is in the best interest of both the community and the owners.”
Busy Course
- Wood Wind Men’s Club: 225 members
- Rounds played annually: 30,000
- Youth participants: 300
- Additional offerings: FootGolf and the home course for Westfield and Guerin Catholic boys and girls golf teams.
