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Light up: Smoking ban unlikely at Bend tracks

By Zack Hall / The Bulletin

Mark Bushnell holds a cigar while watching former Spokane Valley, Wash. mayor Michael DeVleming putt at Esmeralda Golf Course in Spokane, Wash. The city of Spokane recently tried to ban smoking on its four public golf courses, something that is unlikely to happen in Central Oregon.
Young Kwak / The Associated Press

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Most smokers know by now that lighting up indoors in public places such as bars and restaurants can result in a fine — not to mention the dirty looks.

But in a handful of communities across the country, smoking bans have been extended to public golf courses, long havens for cigar-chomping hackers.

The city of Spokane, Wash., recently tried to ban smoking on its four public golf courses. But golfers, libertarians and smoker’s-rights advocates stymied the effort, according to the Associated Press.

In other places, including San Francisco, Glendale and Pasadena in California; Hawaii County, Hawaii; Bloomington, Minn.; Goshen, Ind.; Abilene, Texas; and Arvada, Colo.; similar bans have passed.

But golfers in Central Oregon need not extinguish their stogies anytime soon on any of the region’s golf courses.

Don Horton, executive director of the Bend Park & Recreation District, says a future ban on smoking in the area’s public parks “will happen at some point.” And that would likely affect a Bend municipal golf course — if such a facility existed.

But the city of Bend has not gone as far as considering a ban on smoking at privately owned golf courses.

“We haven’t been looking into banning smoking in facilities like that,” says Justin Finestone, the communications manager for the city of Bend. “Certainly it is something that is not really on our radar screen. However, if the city council asked us to look into the feasibility of doing something like (banning smoking at private golf facilities), we would, of course, research it.”

The two busiest publicly owned golf courses in Central Oregon — Meadow Lakes in Prineville and Juniper in Redmond — each allow smoking on the course.

Bruce Wattenburger, head golf professional at Juniper, does not see a need to ban smoking at his juniper-lined golf course. And to his knowledge it has never been discussed, he says.

“People are just more aware of it (smoke) when you are confined in buildings,” Wattenburger says. “It is harder to escape it. When you are out in the open, you just don’t notice the cigarette and cigar smoke as much.”

Lori Ontko, the club manager at Meadow Lakes, agrees.

“No, we won’t ban it on the course,” says Ontko. “They can’t smoke within 10 yards from the (clubhouse) itself (by state law). So we moved the ashtray from one side of the building to the other. And the one (ashtray) that is out front, we had to move it totally. But that is the only thing.

“But if they want to smoke cigars out there (on the course), that’s fine.”

The attempted ban in Spokane touched a nerve with many of that area’s golfers, and the eventual uproar prompted the city to back off the ban in April.

For some golfers, cigars and golf go together like Tiger Woods and major championships.

And while golf courses must observe the Oregon indoor smoking ban that was enacted in January, few golf courses see a need to restrict smoking out on the course itself.

“A lot of golfers consider it part of the experience, where they smoke a cigar during the round,” says Scott Ellender, director of golf at Sunriver Resort. “Whether they buy them here at the course or they bring their own cigars in … some golfers just like to smoke cigars while they play. And we don’t have any problem with that.”

Wattenburger cites two major issues with smoking on a golf course: The litter left behind by smokers — and the fear of starting a fire — especially in the summer.

The litter caused by smokers throwing their cigarette butts on the turf is the top smoking-related complaint heard by Dan Ostrin, director of golf at Widgi Creek Golf Club in Bend.

Ostrin says, the litter problem is not so severe that Widgi is entertaining a smoking ban.

“I think golfers in general are pretty conscious — and over the last decade, smokers are getting much more conscious — because you just don’t see (litter on a golf course) around that much,” Ostrin says. “I can’t tell you the last time I found a cigarette on the ground when I was on a golf course.”

Wattenburger warns smokers to be mindful during the hot, dry summer months to avoid sparking a fire.

And Ostrin thinks that is enough to make a ban unnecessary.

“If somebody comes to me and says there has been ‘x’ number of fires or it is a big fire hazard or we haven’t had rain in 2½ years, I’m willing to sit down and listen,” Ostrin says. “But short of the fire hazard, unless it becomes a garbage issue, (then a ban would not make sense).”

Zack Hall can be reached at 541-617-7868 or at zhall@bendbulletin.com.

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