VERNON RIVER, PE - A golf course owner is striking back at the province’s chief coroner for firing negative shots at his operation.
Wendell MacEachern, the owner/operator of Avondale Golf Course, describes Dr. Des Colohan as a “chronic complainer.’’
MacEachern says he absorbed criticism for some time from Colohan, who has played his golf primarily on Avondale the past 10 years, without taking action.
However, when Colohan decided to put his concerns in print, MacEachern took exception.
Colohan wrote a recent opinion piece for The Guardian criticizing the state of golf — and golf courses — in P.E.I.
In the column, the doctor complained about losing golf balls on dandelion-spotted fairways.
That shot was meant for Avondale.
However, Colohan, who never named Avondale in his piece, says he was making a general statement in noting that golfers won’t continue to play a course that is poorly maintained and does not offer desired amenities like beverage services and lockers.
“I think it’s a general problem not a course-specific problem,’’ he told The Guardian Tuesday.
“This is not a vendetta.’’
MacEachern, however, has heard enough from the chief coroner.
He approached Colohan on the ninth hole of Avondale recently to tell the doctor he would be happy to refund his money.
Colohan replied that was not necessary.
MacEachern said it most certainly was necessary because he didn’t want to “look at his snout all summer’’ wondering when Colohan might sound off again.
RELATED: Read Colohan's account of the encounter.
“There are just some people that you can’t make happy and Mr. Calhoun or whatever his name is, is one of them,’’ said MacEachern.
“He can veil it any way he wants to when he puts it in the paper…but it’s better for him and it’s better for Avondale’’ if Colohan plays on another golf course.
Colohan is disappointed that he was driven off the course he has shown preference in playing for the past decade.
“I want to keep playing there and I wasn’t given the opportunity,’’ he says.
“I’m feeling out other courses as far as what is available.’’
Colohan wrote a follow-up piece that ran in Tuesday’s Guardian to notify the public, in a light-hearted manner, that he had been banished from his course of choice.
“In the long run, turning away paying customers is probably not a sustainable business strategy,’’ he quipped in his piece.
MacEachern, who reluctantly responded to a request for an interview with The Guardian over the course critique, says he will make do without Colohan’s money.
Says the golf course owner: “Does Avondale need every green fee that we can get? Yes we do, but I don’t need an ongoing headache.’’
VERNON RIVER, PE - A golf course owner is striking back at the province’s chief coroner for firing negative shots at his operation.
Wendell MacEachern, the owner/operator of Avondale Golf Course, describes Dr. Des Colohan as a “chronic complainer.’’
MacEachern says he absorbed criticism for some time from Colohan, who has played his golf primarily on Avondale the past 10 years, without taking action.
However, when Colohan decided to put his concerns in print, MacEachern took exception.
Colohan wrote a recent opinion piece for The Guardian criticizing the state of golf — and golf courses — in P.E.I.
In the column, the doctor complained about losing golf balls on dandelion-spotted fairways.
That shot was meant for Avondale.
However, Colohan, who never named Avondale in his piece, says he was making a general statement in noting that golfers won’t continue to play a course that is poorly maintained and does not offer desired amenities like beverage services and lockers.
“I think it’s a general problem not a course-specific problem,’’ he told The Guardian Tuesday.
“This is not a vendetta.’’
MacEachern, however, has heard enough from the chief coroner.
He approached Colohan on the ninth hole of Avondale recently to tell the doctor he would be happy to refund his money.
Colohan replied that was not necessary.
MacEachern said it most certainly was necessary because he didn’t want to “look at his snout all summer’’ wondering when Colohan might sound off again.
RELATED: Read Colohan's account of the encounter.
“There are just some people that you can’t make happy and Mr. Calhoun or whatever his name is, is one of them,’’ said MacEachern.
“He can veil it any way he wants to when he puts it in the paper…but it’s better for him and it’s better for Avondale’’ if Colohan plays on another golf course.
Colohan is disappointed that he was driven off the course he has shown preference in playing for the past decade.
“I want to keep playing there and I wasn’t given the opportunity,’’ he says.
“I’m feeling out other courses as far as what is available.’’
Colohan wrote a follow-up piece that ran in Tuesday’s Guardian to notify the public, in a light-hearted manner, that he had been banished from his course of choice.
“In the long run, turning away paying customers is probably not a sustainable business strategy,’’ he quipped in his piece.
MacEachern, who reluctantly responded to a request for an interview with The Guardian over the course critique, says he will make do without Colohan’s money.
Says the golf course owner: “Does Avondale need every green fee that we can get? Yes we do, but I don’t need an ongoing headache.’’
