Re: Pine Ridge Golf Course
Ed Boyd (edboyd@ccpl.carr.lib.md.us)
Tue, 6 Jan 1998 22:16:55 -0500
To Gene and others,
I was at the Pine Ridge Golf Course at Loch Raven on Saturday, along with
about a half dozen other birders in the club house parking lot, searching
for the crossbills, when the head greenskeeper came over to ask what the
fuss was about. He had been taking advantage of the weather to get some
maintenance done when he had observed us in the lot. We explained the
phenomenon that was taking place throughout the area to him and he told us
to go wherever we would like and to watch out for the golfers that were out
enjoying the spring-like weather. He saw us proceed out to the area of
about the 14th fairway where we had observed a flock of crossbills land in a
patch of pines. We then stood along the fairways and behind trees, out of
the way of the golfers and paid close attention to the shots as they were
hit by us. We were welcomed by this person and did not trespass onto the
course without his knowledge and sanctioning. We did not cross any tees or
greens while going to and from the pine patch and did not interfere with the
golfers in anyway. In fact, the two groups that we saw and talked to were
both curious and impressed by the invasion of birds that was taking place.
One of the birders stated that he was going to go home and look up the birds
to see what was causing the stir. As someone who plays the game, I am very
familiar with golf etiquette and was careful to see that this was being
properly applied and that we did not interfere.
Perhaps there have been others that have taken the liberty of trespassing
onto the course without permission and these were the ones that the
complaints were directed at. I cannot imagine after the welcome that we
received and the behavior that we exhibited, that we drew any complaints
what-so-ever from the course employees or guests. I will, however, be sure
to do my birding around the lake elsewhere so as to not cause any problems
in the future.
Ed Boyd
Finksburg, MD
edboyd@ccpl.carr.lib.md.us
-----Original Message-----
From: Eugene J. Scarpulla <gscarp@erols.com>
To: Maryland Osprey <mdosprey@ARI.Net>; Baltimore Bird Line
<birder@xtrabox.com>; Voice of the Naturalist <voice@CapAccess.org>
Date: Monday, January 05, 1998 10:34 PM
Subject: Pine Ridge Golf Course
>TO ALL BIRDERS:
>
>I have heard complaints from the staff of Pine Ridge Golf Course about
>birders who are walking around on the golf course (including the
>fairways, tees, and greens) and interfering with play. I am urging all
>birders to do one of two things:
>
> A. Please look for crossbills at Liberty or Prettyboy Reservoirs, or
> at other locations at Loch Raven. There are numerous pine
> plantations at all three of these reservoirs.
>
> B. If you must go to Pine Ridge Golf Course, please stay off the
> actual course and only bird the road or parking lots. Please
> remember that you are a guest on their property.
>
>I thank all of you for your cooperation,
>
>Gene Scarpulla
>gscarp@erols.com
>
>