LETTERS TO THE EDITOR

Is the Kastle crumbling?

When was the review of Kastle Greens Golf Club written? I ask because I played the course yesterday (August 7, 2003) and it was not as portrayed in the linked review. First, the management was far from friendly. After booking a 7am tee time, we showed up at 6:40 only to find that the clubhouse didn't open until 7. While putting around on the practice green, maintenance workers began to arrive...none spoke a word to us. The clubhouse opened at 7:05, and we were on the course at 7:15 or so. No comment from the clerk on either being late or booking a tee time that was impossible. No coffee at the snack shop, as it hadn't yet opened since the guy who ran it hadn't showed up yet.

Once on the course, we thought it would be at least good golf. No. The fairways were literally mowed while we played, so we could gauge how close they were cut...not very. This was a cow pasture that someone put a golf course in. Fairways were deep, more closely akin to first cut of rough at best. There were also many, many bare patches. It is August and we were forced to play winter rules. They mowed the greens while we played....for the first 9 holes the mower would stop, replace the flag, let us shoot and putt out (problematic, as many puts were thru two different heights of grass). By pausing at the turn to finally get coffee, the maintenance crew that started at just after 7 finally got ahead of us. Stunningly, the course sent a group of two out to start on the back nine right behind us, despite the virtually unoccupied front nine. This meant that immediately after our tee shots on 10, we had a group pushing us on the back.

This course was badly maintained, and the staff was indifferent to us at best. Please go back to the course without revealing you are a reviewer and see what happens.

Bryan Broyles, Centreville, Va.

The review in question was posted in mid-2001, and we'll undoubtedly revisit the course soon. Thanks for your note. - Ed