It's a way to introduce people to golf at a reasonable fee.

I think some people crossed Oakmont off the places-to-play list because residents got all the good tee times. But our membership knows we need outside play.

Some people think the biggest factor is cost, but that's second. The main factor is time.

All of us at Empire Golf are very excited about both the challenges and opportunities that Cherry Island represents. We are convinced that our plan to implement new maintenance standards and practices will significantly improve the playing conditions at Cherry Island.

Rude might be pushing it, but I think there was a time, before we got here, that maybe there was indifference. Oakmont has had a reputation for doing things that are not public-friendly.

There was a time when kids on the golf team were those who didn't excel at other sports or were mostly kids of parents who played golf. But that's changing.