Golf professional and Prince Rupert Golf Club manager Dave Belling parted ways with the club last week, leaving the organization to decide how to move forward roughly a month before it plans to open for the season.
Belling, who was hired by PRGC in July 2015, handed in a resignation letter to the board citing a better opportunity as his reason for leaving.
“For the most part, he did a good job. On the golf course part of it, we were very happy with that,” said Iain Cullen, president of PRGC.
Belling was a superb teacher and excellent at running a golf course, Cullen said.
There were, however, underlying issues between the two parties that made it more of a mutual parting of ways.
“There’s mixed feelings,” Cullen said.
As it stands now, the club is preparing to open the season in March or early April without a golf pro and manager — and it could conceivably stay that way.
Cullen said PRGC has put out ads for the position, but he doesn’t hold out much hope that any candidates will fill their criteria.
“At this time of year, most clubs have filled their jobs with their pros. What applicants are left over may not suit our criteria,” he said.
For that reason, as well as for financial flexibility, the club is considering not filling the position at all.
“My own opinion is to save the money right now because there’s a few things that need to be done. There’s a few things that take money and if you have a pro, you don’t have that leeway with your finances,” Cullen said.
The president cited such projects such as building bridges, drainage on a couple of the greens and possibly rebuilding or redesigning another green.
At this point, the club is considering both hiring someone new or saving money and running it themselves. Cullen said PRGC is just taking a wait-and-see approach to see which road it goes down.
For now, the club is preparing for its 50th anniversary season. The board is planning a big jubilee in mid-June to celebrate. Plans include inviting people from all over the province that have been at the golf course and previous winners and more. It will be the marquee event of the season.
