Hubbub At Golf Club

The firing of a pro at the Poxabogue Golf Center in Sagaponack has led a group of golfers to ask East Hampton and Southampton Towns to replace the company that manages the center.

Since Poxabogue was purchased jointly by East Hampton and Southampton Towns in 2003, Long Island Golf Management, a Cutchogue company, has operated it. But when the company terminated Kim Shipman's contract on Sept. 26, three weeks before the end of the golf season, many of Poxabogue's regulars filed complaints with both municipalities.

Ms. Shipman, who was on the Ladies Professional Golf Association Tour for 16 years and had taught at Poxabogue for six years, was appointed the director of instruction at Poxabogue this spring by Edward Wankel, the president of Long Island Golf Management.

Mr. Wankel claimed that he made the appointment even though the Poxabogue staff did not recommend it. Ms. Shipman's contract, he added, however, stipulated that she work as a salesperson 36 hours per week in the pro shop and only teach lessons on the side.

In late spring, according to Ms. Shipman, she was told to work just 10 hours per week in the pro shop. She continued to teach lessons on the side and run the two women's leagues that she had founded. Ms. Shipman claims she was fired as director of instruction; Mr. Wankel claims that she retained the title, but not the responsibility.

Both Long Island Golf Management and Ms. Shipman have nondisparagement clauses in their contracts; those clauses forbid them from discussing the details of their disputes. Ms. Shipman has hired legal counsel.

When Ms. Shipman was fired on Sept. 26, a group of Poxabogue regulars, several of whom are Ms. Shipman's students or attend her leagues, went to both East Hampton and Southampton Towns, questioning the management team's ability to run the golf course.

"This contract needs to be put out to bid," said Phyllis Vecchione, who sent a letter to the Southampton and East Hampton Town Boards. "There should be some legitimate questions in the mind of the board whether this company is responsible."

Long Island Golf Management did not have to bid for the $120,000 contract to run the course in 2004, but was hired after an interview with representatives of both towns. Their contract included an option that Long Island Golf Management complete a request for proposals from other management companies to run the club. The towns did not exercise that option and renewed the contract for another year.

Dennis Suskind of the Southampton Town Board said that the towns "did not have enough information" to ask Long Island Golf Management for a request for proposals after the first season. "We got started very late in the season, and we didn't have a full year to observe the operation, so we renewed their contract for the following year," he said.

Ms. Vecchione wants to make sure that the contract is not renewed again, and is instead awarded through a bid process. In her letter, she wrote that she was concerned "about the future of public golf at Poxabogue under the management of L.I.G.M."

Mr. Suskind said that the management company has been asked to prepare an R.F.P. But Mr. Wankel said that he had not received that request as of Wednesday afternoon. Mr. Wankel said that under his direction Poxabogue's profits have risen over 25 percent this year.

"Personally, I would be happy with people making this kind of profit on this type of asset," he said. "But if the towns ask us to complete an R.F.P., we will comply."

The towns could start accepting bids from golf management companies as early as this fall; however, officials from both towns said they were generally content with the way Poxabogue has been run. The course has operated in the black and the grounds have been kept in good condition.

"In terms of the management, I'm satisfied with the job they're doing," said East Hampton Town Supervisor Bill McGintee.

Mr. Suskind suggested that the towns look for "on the job management" in future bids. "I want the person in charge there, leading the facility," he said. Mr. Wankel and his partner, Jeff Seeman, do not have an office on the East End.

"The only complaints I have gotten was when I ended Kim Shipman's contract," Mr. Wankel said.

Neither Mr. Suskind nor Mr. McGintee would comment on the personnel matter concerning Ms. Shipman. "We don't hire the personnel at Poxabogue," said Mr. McGintee. "This is an internal management issue." He did say that he has scheduled a meeting with Ms. Shipman to discuss the operation of Poxabogue.

However, some of the women who took lessons from Ms. Shipman and belonged to her league are boycotting Poxabogue as long as it operates under the same management, and have already moved the league to the Sag Harbor Golf Club.

"We tried running the league when Kim wasn't there and it didn't work," said Jacqueline Osborn. "If she's not there we're not there."