CLARKSVILLE, TN (CLARKSVILLE NOW) – The future of the Mason Rudolph Golf Course was a major topic of discussion at Thursday night’s City Council meeting, with members of the public and the council weighing in on the city’s previously announced plan to convert into a public park.

When the meeting opened to public comments, three people spoke out in favor of keeping Mason Rudolph the way it is, including AC Lopez and Montgomery County Commissioner David Shelton.

Also speaking was resident Peter Alves, who said the golf course changed his life.

“This is not about golf,” Alves told the council. “When I moved to Clarksville, I played at Mason Rudolph because I didn’t know anything else about any other golf course.

After a year of living in Clarksville, he had a stroke. “I couldn’t walk, I couldn’t talk,” Alves said. “As somebody who’s always been athletic and into sports, I was very depressed. I didn’t want to do anything, and my wife, in her wisdom, asked me, ‘Why don’t you go golfing?”

That’s when Alves began to rehab at Mason Rudolph Golf Course, where he learned to swing a club all over again while being able to take his time playing. He said the community should have a say in what happens to Mason Rudolph Golf Course.

City Council responds

Following the public comments, Mayor Joe Pitts said, “Let me reassure the public and the council, we’re committed to a process on the Mason Rudolph Golf Course. That process includes opportunities for the public to have input on potential plans. The good news that’s come out of this is that we’ve had a lot of good conversation about the perseveration of what we consider a historical artifact and iconic place in our community.

“The bad news is the comments on social media are not helpful. They are hateful, downright mean and most of them have no basis in fact. Those that are directed to our city employees, those hateful comments, they didn’t sign up for this. So, if you’ve got to come at anybody, come at me, because I made the decision.”

Saving the golf course

Councilperson Stacey Streetman said since the plans of transitioning Mason Rudolph into a park were halted by Pitts, she began having conversations with golfers around her ward.

“I am trying to work with the golfing community to come up with a plan, which would include creating a foundation in which we could potentially save Mason Rudolph as it is or relook at things a little bit.”

Streetman said she spoke with various golfers who pitched ideas that would help grow the game of golf locally. She finished by saying she can’t go into a lot of detail because the process is still in its beginning stages, but she looks forward to seeing what they can do to save the golf course.

Councilperson Zacharias apologizes

Councilperson Brian Zacharias spoke out to apologize for his conduct on social media with the Mason Rudolph Golf Course community.

“I noticed that there seemed to be some misinformation or confusion about the process of how this whole thing happens,” Zacharias said. “In an attempt to clear up some confusion – Look I’m an educator and teacher; when I see incorrect information, it’s an instinct of mine to try to correct that information.”

However, Zacharias said the interaction did not go as he hoped, and he expressed his frustrations in a family group chat where he did so “inappropriately.” “I used words that expressed my frustration and not my actual belief or state of mind,” Zacharias told those at the meeting.

A screenshot of these private messages was posted to the Save Mason Rudolph Golf Course Facebook group earlier this week.

“I am receiving feedback on the words that I used, and that is fine. … To the Mason Rudolph golfing community, I apologize for the language that I used in trying to express my frustration. My words were not considerate.”

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