The Watertown Golf Club is now owned by local developer Mike Lundy after stakeholders decided to sell the club’s stock, making Lundy a majority shareholder.
“We’ve paid the corporation all of the money to settle all of their debts and then we took over the banking. By the time we were done, it was well over $500,000,” said Lundy.
Lundy now oversees the club’s business and its half of the 18-hole golf course.
Joe Butler, Sr., a former club shareholder, says he’s excited to see what this means for the club’s future.
“I think Mike has a lot of great ideas. He knows golf and he knows our golf course,” he said.
Lundy’s vision includes expanding the golf course.
“We think we can reconfigure some of the holes to add some length for the better players. We’re going to add multi-level tees,” said Lundy.
He also wants to tear down the current clubhouse and build a new one, along with a new pro shop and an event center.
Lundy’s plans include making it a year-round place for people to enjoy, and not just those who play golf.
“We’d like to even look at enhancing some of the hiking trails that could follow the periphery of the entire golf course so that people could even use it during the off season,” said Lundy.
By taking majority control, Lundy also assumes the club’s lease with the city of Watertown for its nine holes. That lease runs for 11 more years.
There is one lawsuit arguing the legality of that lease, citing a conflict of interest. Butler was both mayor and a club shareholder at the time the lease was created.
“We’re not worried at all. It’s just unfortunate to have to spend this kind of money for legal activities,” said Butler.
Lundy didn’t want to comment on the lawsuit.
He says he wants to get started on development plans for the new clubhouse, pro shop and event center this winter and he hopes projects could be competed by spring of 2020.
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