>La Grande Observer | Union and Wallowa Counties' News Leader

Some people will undoubtedly hammer the Union County commissioners for hiring a director of promotions at Buffalo Peak Golf Course. These people are understandably worried about long-term financial obligations of the county-owned course, as is any member of the public who enjoys playing the beautifully designed links course on the outskirts of Union with the magnificent view over the Grande Ronde Valley.

We recommend reserving judgment until the plan has a chance to work. Buffalo Peak is not dying. In fact, the course at Union showed overall revenue gains of 11 percent last year as well as a jump in player rounds of almost 500.

The county needs to build on those gains, and accelerate them into the future. Toward that end, it has hired the former general manager and golf pro at La Grande Country Club in hopes of improving Buffalo Peak’s bottom line. The county has given Bill Rosholt a season to do his magic. The county will spend $24,000 on Rosholt’s position this season, and if he meets a host of benchmarks he will continue employment past 2008 at $55,000 a year — after current General Services Director Dennis Spray retires. The county commissioners know that sometimes you have to spend money to make money, and that trying the same thing over and over again and expecting different results is a measure of insanity.

Rosholt will have to post solid gains in any number of revenue categories — including green fees, tournaments and season passes — to stay on the job. He has the enthusiasm, personality and experience to give the challenge his best effort.

Among his many goals, Rosholt hopes to increase player rounds from 14,000 a year ago to 16,000 this year. Rosholt also wants to build sales of corporate passes. The bottom line is he must boost revenue by $55,000 this first season to stay on the job.

A person with Rosholt’s connections in the industry should do a lot of good for the course and the county. The county should be applauded for not being content with the status quo but taking innovative approaches to try to make sure the public golf course that is sometimes a lightning rod for criticism not only survives but thrives.