Disgruntled Ocean View Golf Club members have strongly rejected a proposed hike in greens fees and membership dues that could result in a sharp decline in membership and considerable loss of revenue.

Amid a global economic downturn, Government's Board of Trustees have proposed to increase daily use of the Devonshire public course by as much as 64 percent for visitors to the Island, while long-serving senior members will also have to dig deeper into their pockets, needing to fork out $1,250 to renew their membership for this year. Last year the annual fee for seniors was $780.

The latest financial demands have sparked "outrage" among members and management who have urged the Trustees to reconsider.

"I appreciate the necessity for the course to cover their costs and the need to avoid making a loss. However, in the opinion of our committee, the proposed rates will do nothing to improve the financial situation of the course, but in fact will have the exact opposite effect and will ultimately lead to greater financial loss," argued Ocean View club president Alan Douglas.

"The members of Ocean View Golf Club have expressed their outrage at these increases and many have intimated they will not be joining next year. It can therefore be anticipated that despite these increases, revenue from membership renewals will actually be down next year."

Douglas and fellow members also strongly oppose the proposed daily rates that could see tourists charged $130 and locals $110.

"This is both discriminatory and distasteful to tourists who we are trying to encourage to come to the Island," he continued. "Charging $130 for a non-member (tourist) to play 18 holes is almost guaranteed to fail.

"It is very unlikely that tourists will be prepared to pay $130 per round, particularly at a time when the global economy is the worst since the 1930's Great Depression and Bermuda is likely to suffer significantly from tourist arrivals in the foreseeable future.

"If you are going to try and encourage tourists to come to Bermuda as a golf destination then shouldn't we be doing things to encourage them to come instead of discouraging them?

"The more you have to pay the less you are going to enjoy playing unless you are getting really good value for your money and I just don't think this is the case here."

Douglas believes the new proposed rates may also discourage locals from playing at Ocean View.

"While Bermuda is in a slightly better situation than the rest of the global economy, there are few locals who will be prepared to pay $110 for a round of golf on a nine-hole course," he argued. "At the current rate of $85 per round there are very few players utilising the course during weekdays and only slightly more players at the weekends.

"I just think this is a hardship for the general membership and I don't think anyone would've expected membership fees to go up by at least 30 percent in this economic climate with all the exempt companies that are leaving.

"Our dues have gone up by at least ten percent, even more than I can remember since 1995. In some instances they (Trustees) have proposed to increase certain rates by as much as 64 percent, which in my opinion is an unusual and unfair jump."

Management at Ocean View have met to discuss the issue amongst themselves. However, their attempts to try and strike a compromise with the Trustees have proved fruitless thus far with chairman Wendell Brown, who could not be reached for comment yesterday, refusing to even acknowledge any grievances.

"We sent a letter to the chairman (Brown) who hasn't even acknowledged that we have sent him the letter," Douglas claimed. "And in this day and age whenever you send someone a letter the least they can do is acknowledge it as far as I am concerned.

"As far I know, the proposed fee structure is going forward, and this is what the membership do not agree with. The committee and members feel as though we have no actual say in the decision making and can either pay the dues or don't become a member. We don't have any other option."