Drinking On The Golf Course? Mount Hood Wants It, But Some Say No

MELROSE, MA — A fairway battle is brewing as the company that runs Mount Hood Park & Golf Course seeks to sell alcohol to golfers on the field of play — and the group tasked with protecting the course looks to keep it dry.

Mass Golf Management LLC, the company that operates the course, last week petitioned the Park Commission to allow it to run a beverage cart to sell alcohol. Drinking at Mount Hood is currently restricted to the clubhouse and patio.

The company says running its own beverage cart will help limit how often people sneak their own booze onto the green and provide a better experience for golfers.

Oh, and the money. The company, which runs beverage carts at its New Hampshire golf courses, said it expects to bring in an extra $50,000 to $60,000 per year. For the Park Commission, which makes 11.5 percent of gross revenue from food and beverage sales, that means about $5,700 to $7,000.

"This is a win/win for all of the involved parties," the company said in a letter to the Park Commission.

The Mount Hood Park Association disagrees. Myron Dittmer, the president of the group dedicated to the preservation, promotion, and protection of the area, said the issue comes up once every few years.

One of the reasons it hasn't passed yet is safety, Dittmer told the Park Commission. Mount Hood does not have a dedicated road to and from the clubhouse, but rather streets lined with residents.

He also said drinking in a public open space would set a poor example for kids and could lead to underage drinking on the course.

"Again, this is NOT a money issue since the golf course has brought in record dollars in recent years prior to COVID," he said in a letter. "The safety risks far out way [sic] any small financial benefits the city would gain."

The company said sales would be limited to two drinks per person. The cart would also carry snacks and non-alcoholic drinks.

Things would need to change in Melrose to grant the company's request. Drinking on grounds under the authority of the Park Commission is prohibited.

But there appears to be an appetite to revisit drinking in some public settings. Mayor Paul Brodeur's Advisory Committee on Enhanced Liquor Sales has indicated allowing a beverage cart at Mount Hood is thinking too small, saying the city should "explore other creative ways within which to enhance the community, particularly as relates to alcohol sales and service on some of the community’s public open spaces."

Bellevue Country Club, the other golf course in Melrose, does not allow drinking on the field of play.

Mike Carraggi can be reached at [email protected]. Follow him on Twitter @PatchCarraggi. Subscribe to Melrose Patch for free local news and alerts and like us on Facebook.