It would not surprise anyone that scores of readers responded to the story of the ban of Michael Dentist by Antill golf club.
Nor that not a single person who read the story in the South West Voice thought the golf club board had done the right thing.
For those new to this, Mr Dentist, a Picton resident for 18 years and a member of the golf club for the same period, has been told that he is no longer welcome at Antill golf course.
No reason has been given, but you don’t have to be Einstein to work that it was in response to Mr Dentist becoming involved in a tender to run the golf course.
With the lease to the golf course due to expire, Wollondilly Council called for expressions of interest last year.
Four tenders were lodged, including one by an associate of Mr Dentist.
Council stopped the tender process after stage three had been completed and announced that it would negotiate with the current operator, the Antill golf club, with a view to extending their lease
Negotiations would include an agreement on the upkeep and maintenance of historic homestead Jarvisfield House.
It is well known that the former residence of the Antill family, who essentially founded Picton, has been neglected for long periods.
Mr Dentist says the tender bid by him and his business associate would have put strong emphasis on returning Jarvisfield House to its former glory.
He told the South West Voice he was trying to save Jarvisfield from further decline.
But for his trouble, he received a notice from Antill golf club, via another club where he is a social member, that he was no longer welcome to play golf or have a drink there.
The club refuses to comment and points to its constitution, which states it does not have to provide a reason for banning anyone.
But in the process it has denied Mr Dentist natural justice because it never gave him an opportunity to explain why he was involved with the tender.
Mr Dentist says that if the club board had said to him: cease and desist or you will be banned, he would have stopped immediately.
But the only communication he received from the board was to be informed he was no longer welcomed.
He suffers from multiple sclerosis, and golf was one of the few forms of exercise he could do to help his condition.
But a knee-jerk reaction from the club has forced him to put his Picton house up for sale so he can move somewhere where he can play golf.
Antill golf club should re-consider its decision to ban Mr Dentist, and invite him to explain why he did what he did.
It’s the least they can do after treating this man so harshly.
It’s typical now of organisations that the persons in power live in a bubble. It seems dissent of any kind these days is not tolerated and that robust debate and learning from each other is way too hard.
For a person like Michael who has the best interest of the club at heart and even served on the board its a bit harsh simply banning him, You would think that through his past involvment in the club he could at least be told why, Its the moral thing to do. At least give him the oppotunity to explain or address the issues you have with him.
This story is unbelievable and absolutely disgusting behaviour by people running a golf club.
I hope these people can be accountable for their actions singling out a person that actually cared for the foreseeable future of the venueand club.
Bullying a disabled person who had his best interest in moving the club forward by banning him from the premises which he was endeavouring to uptake and bring it to a great success for everyone involved including all members and the community.