Berlin Golf Course Regulars Unhappy With Change to Pass System

BERLIN, CT — Longtime season pass holders at Timberlin Golf Club are upset about a change implemented by the course's overseers that effectively forces them to pay extra money in the final month of the year.

Formerly known as a season's pass, the program is now referred to on the course's web site as "Golf Passes (Good from Opening Day-November 30)."

Ken Asal, who has been playing at the city-run course for 39 years and is secretary of the Timberlin Men's Club, said the change to a finite expiration date is new this year. In the past, a season's pass was valid for as long as the club stayed open during the calendar year.

"It would obviously be very disappointing to those of us who support Timberlin throughout the entire season if an arbitrary cutoff date of November 30th was upheld," Asal said. "Even more so considering that none of the other 17 nearby courses we contacted consider a pass to cover anything less then opening day through closing day."

Asal said he and a number of regular players feel the unseasonably mild December last year may have caused management at the Berlin Parks and Recreation Department "to look at future Decembers as a chance to take in more income."

"A big part of our issue is that no other courses treat their season pass holders this way," Asal said, adding that in no way do the unhappy players find any fault with the club professional.

"We all love Timberlin, and the pro Marc Bayram is the best around and treats us all extremely well," he said. "We all appreciate and support our course and especially Marc. We're just very disappointed in this unprecedented decision by Parks and Rec to reduce our passes."

According to figures provided by Asal, Timberlin took in $3,000 in revenue during Dec. 2013, $5,000 in Dec. 2014 and $13,000 during the rare warm December last year.

"You would think with numbers like that they would be praying for a warm December to keep play high," Asal said. "This policy discourages play from us regulars who can now play elsewhere at discounted winter rates. This policy will actually negatively affect income, as our Saturday group of 85 regulars - 30 to 40 who actually participate each weekend - have already made arrangements to play other courses the first two Saturdays in December. And those courses were thrilled to have us come over and spend our money with them."

Patch reached out to superintendent of recreation Debbie Dennis for comment, but had not yet received a reply as of 10:15 Wednesday morning.

Photo courtesy of Ken Asal