I swung by to catch up with a few retired chums. It was totally random and unannounced. We sipped coffee, talked some hoops, and inquired about direct flights to Charlotte. It was a very interesting conversation. It always is. I love hearing from my older and wiser friends. I simply missed them.

One who I admire asked if I heard the latest with regards to White Deer Golf Course. I played dumb, and he went off on a tangent. This gentleman begged me to write another article. I balked at first, but then he slipped me a 20.

A very long story short. A quick background. The Lycoming County Commissioners hired Billy Casper to do an in-depth assessment of White Deer Golf Course in the summer of 2015. The Lycoming County Recreation Authority — the longtime brains of the operation — was benched by the County in the spring of 2016. The Commissioners then regained absolute control of the entire complex. They handed the keys to Billy Casper and gave them $1,000,000 for capital improvements. Things got off to a very shaky start, and by the fall of 2017, the Commissioners announced that a contingency plan was already in place. Rumors and speculations were everywhere. The County renewed and continued their agreement with Casper instead of pursuing other options in 2018. A turning point was coming soon. The Commissioners also made major headlines this summer when they mentioned they were planning to sell some of the land at WDGC to a developer. It was a big deal. Three hundred homes were coming soon. OK. There was much more that happened during this timeframe. These are the abbreviated cliff notes. Back to the future, Marty. #seewhatididthere.

I was somewhat puzzled by a few of the Commissioners’ comments at a recent meeting. Special thanks to my friend Anne and my retired pal, because this would’ve gone totally unnoticed. Several media outlets sometimes only print what you tell them. I wasn’t there, but I just watched this strange discussion on YouTube. To save some time, skip to 40:15. I am dead serious.

It appears that the sale of the proposed property around White Deer Golf Course has come to a halt. You see, the land can only be used for recreational purposes. I do not know the exact details, and from what I understand, neither do our County Commissioners. I am curious. Did anyone read the large plaque outside of the Pro Shop?

“We are invested in this land,” Tony Mussare claimed. “We had a plan for this golf course. We had a plan five years ago. That was supposed to be our growth corridor. It wasn’t memorialized. It wasn’t on the deed. We can’t even find the paperwork. These are the frustrating things with government.”

Lycoming officials have been eyeing this area for quite some time. They have already brought in water and sewage to a good part of the region. Selling a large portion of the golf course was supposed to eliminate the debt and spur new economic progress. The Commissioners recently hired Larson Design to survey the land. The Comprehensive Developmental Plan for Southern Lycoming County now has a major hurdle. Did anyone check the filing cabinet next to the copier?

“It’s another obstacle in the way,” Scott Metzger added. “But this isn’t dead in the water. It doesn’t mean we are going to stop. We’re going to get it done. It’s just another hoop we have to jump through.”

In other mulligan matters, the Commissioners were very quick to point out that White Deer Golf Course actually made a small profit in 2019. Well done. This was the first year in the black in Casper’s four tenure. Now the Commissioners did say that the $40,000 gift from the Visitor’s Bureau and the Chamber definitely helped. Interesting.

Looking at the numbers. WDGC rounds in 2019 came in at 46,582. Compared to 42,719 from 2018 and 51,384 in 2017. Overall revenues from 2019 were $1,482,145. They were $1,452,531 in 2018 and $1,570,185 in 2017. The membership figures are down, and that’s what concerns me. $242,325 for 2019, $275,266 in 2018 and $307,220 for 2017. They are declining. I hear several members are heading to Bucknell GC, a course that is also operated by Casper Golf.

Kudos to Billy for watching their spending. Expenses have been down on every occasion. I would like to note that County did spend $437,000 on a short-term loan in 2018 to give them a clean slate. Unfortunately, the taxpayers are still responsible for the hefty tab on the LCRA bond. WE spend $332,459 each year. There is no money left from the savings gained by refinancing these bonds. I noted earlier that $1,000,000 went towards new sand traps and sprinklers in 2016. Billy Casper spent $0 on capital improvements in 2019. These numbers are all from the online statements.

White Deer Golf Course is a tremendous asset. She is a true gem that does a lot for many charitable organizations. I love the game of golf, but my neighbor across the street simply does not. Hopefully, the County Commissioners can find other ways to keep her around. I understand that we are trying to paint a picture, but the recent obstacles with not being able to sell the land and using fuzzy math can cause a major hiccup. Fairways and greens. Cheers.