THOUSANDS of dollars of public money may have been lost after a US company that was supplying grass for a revamp of St. George's Golf Club reportedly went out of business.

The story emerged after club members voiced their concerns over the poor state of parts of the Government-run course after it was closed to allow a revamp with an estimated $250,000 price tag.

The course trustees had planned to reseed all of the greens with seashore paspalum, a grass that thrives on brackish water.

Over the years, the East End course has been ravaged by the effects of ocean spray and it is hoped that the paspalum will solve the problem.

Course management had intended to keep nine holes open throughout the revamp, by completing work on the front nine holes between May and August, before dealing with the back nine over the following two or three months.

But after closing down holes one through nine from May, management then ended up closing down the entire course from August.

Since its recent reopening, members have been less than impressed by the condition of the back nine. They say some of the sand traps are missing sand and the course appears to have been reseeded with some kind of winter grass, rather than the paspalum that had been promised.

The Mid-Ocean News understands that grass seed and sand for the project was being shipped in from the US state of Georgia.

The first shipment of grass reportedly arrived as planned, but a subsequent, paid-for delivery did not transpire as the supplier went out of business.

It is understood that efforts have been made to recoup the money.

Imports of grass are closely monitored by the Ministry of Agriculture and our source informed us that the grass did not meet some of the strict growing requirements necessary for importation.

It is also understood that ground staff at the course were at first reluctant to carry out the reseeding work and only after union intervention did they agree to do it.

The accumulated problems put work a long way behind and wrecked the original plan to keep nine holes open throughout the operation.

One club member, who did not want to give his name, claimed the club had failed to act in good faith by collecting annual fees by the end of March, before the membership was informed of the course closure plans.

"I don't know how they have the nerve to charge us the full fee, the state the back nine is in," the member said.

"The Government increased the membership fee this year. I think that those who pre-paid, by March 31, should get a complimentary membership from the Government for 2006 after all this.

"Now we are playing on a back nine that is in appalling condition. We paid our membership fee in good faith.

"After the improvements that were promised, people are asking: Where has the money gone?"

St. George's Golf Club general manager Max Atherden said he was unable to comment without clearance from the course's trustees.

We left a message for Michael Emery, the chairman of the Government golf course trustees, yesterday, but he did not respond by press time.

Kim Swan, an Opposition Senator who worked at St. George's Golf Club for 15 years, eight of them as general manager, expressed concern at the situation.

"It disturbs me to hear of the problems that are beleaguering St. George's Golf Club, with which I have a long and fond association," Sen. Swan said.

"Most of all, I am concerned for the golfing public, who I know feel somewhat cheated by having to play in sub-standard conditions, even after the course had closed down completely.

"Golf is also an important part of our tourism product and this problem needs to be addressed."