By Patrick Tepoorten

Residents of Rush City and surrounding areas will once again have a place to play golf, eat dinner, or enjoy a cocktail this summer, in their own backyard.

The Rush City council approved a liquor license for ìBulrush,î which is the name new ownership, Doug Abrahamson and John Majewski, have given the Rush City golf course.

The council expressed a good deal of excitement at the prospect of new ownership at the golf course, with Mayor Mike Skalsky admitting to Abrahamson, ìIíve been rooting for you.î

The bar and restaurant, the ìRush Hour Barî is scheduled to open April 15. Abrahamson has also hired a new superintendent, Steve Schumaker, formerly of Izatys Resort in Onamia, and stated that crews would begin grooming the course on April 1. If all goes well and the weather cooperates, Abrahamson expects the course to be open for play April 15.

Abrahamson said he was looking forward to putting the course on the right track. ìOur goal is to work with the community, the parks department, youth, and the high school and start building that relationship again.î

To do so, the course intends to offer training, employment opportunities, and bring in golf professionals at low cost to help kids get started in the game.

In order to encourage people to make Bulrush a popular local destination in the future, Abrahamson said he would be keeping greens fees ìvery reasonableî for the first year or two.

Looking out a little further, Abrahamson would like to make some grand changes over the next five years. First to go will be the existing clubhouse, which Abrahamson said is unsuitable for the courseís needs. He and Majewski intend to construct a new one that will be much closer to the 18th green and will accommodate a more complete menu.

Another long-term goal is to work with surrounding developments and developers to create and promote what Abrahamson called a ìtotal golf community.î