6 - Friday, August 7, 1898 — North Shore News Mispl ORTHLANDS Golf Course is experiencing many of the grow- ing pains felt by new courses. The putting greens are browning as course management fine tunes grass types on the mountainside track; a periscope is being constructed at the 10th teebox to alleviate a possible problem of players ahead being struck by balls; and certain members of the golfing public are complaining. Tt is this last point that has brought the North Vancouver District course its most grief. The fact that it is a public course — and an expensive one to build at. that -—— has made it open season on Northlands’ staff and management as the course goes through its early life. _ No driving range, some complain. Pushy. marshalls, charge others. 2 “Aad, of course, the “Too expensive north shore news VIEWPOINT for a public course” mantra. But the fact of the matter is that Northlands is none of these things. On the point of a driving range it was determined that, with cwo others in east North Van (three if you count the semi-public Seymour), the revenue wouldn’t support the opera- tion. As to pushy marshalls, slow play is the plague of public courses. Northlands is a difficult course beset by beginners who clog it up and oth- ers who spend way too long looking for lost balls. The vast majority of golfers are pleased when a marshall takes con- trol; too many simply ride around in carts saying “Hello” to players. Too expensive? The solid bookings so far this summer disclaim that charge. LAST week’s piece mused about -the Park Royal White Spot restaurant’s leasing battle with The oblivious golden retriever sleep- ing at master’s foot around a table ric! in local gossip and political debate. And then there’s the reality. West Van's Squarerigger in Ambleside, tucked away:in a's mews, strikes me as an comes much: closer to the. “roi Blue Bus system sii 00 efficient i cr numbers fall (Friday, July 24 News) re, while in North Vancouver fewer wer can learn some of the keys to orri¢ed about having buses show up I. Ir adds to.the spirit of adventure ily; those UBC students who have s when BC Transic drivers suddenly decide to go in the morning, why not join them? Nothing nfuriates passengers like a bus that is reliable. Siacerely hope: West Vancouver learns from this $ re are not cnough cars justifying the existence f the Lions Gate Bridge. ; ‘. Congratulationsto North Vancouver for actively ensuring that the bridge deck will be.well worn with use, with measures such‘as the cancellation cf the 286 UBC ‘Express.in 1997-98, So we invite you to follow, Bluc Mailbox policy LETTERS ‘to the editor must be legible (preferably type- writte:) and include your name, full address and telephone number. Due to space constraints the North Shore News cannot publish all letters. Submissions can be faxed to 985- - 2104 but still must be signed and fully addressed. Hon Shere Hews, founded in 3969 3s an independent suburban newspaper 2:0 quakhod under Schedure 111, Paragraph 111 of the Excise fax Act, is published each Wednesday, Friday and Sunday by North Shere Free Press, ‘Lid. ant destnitnrind 0 every door ot 3: North Shore. Vanace Post Canadian Pubications Mail ‘Sues Product Agreement No. OO87Z38 ~ _ its landlord, Larco. Today we mull the subject of satisfying the inner man’s (and woman’s) other need: Sisking thirst. There are pub applica- tions afoot in both North Vancouver City, for 850 Marine Drive, and in _ West Vancouver, for the Dundarave Cafe (the old Sager family building) on Marine Drive, Dundarave. Ah, the local pub! What a splendid vision it conjures up! The pub's neighbors toddling down for a pint after a hard day’s work and child-rearing. ‘The friendly publican grecting them by name. The blousy barmaid pulling up schooners of frosty malt in the summer; the inviting fireplace crack- ling with piney boughs in the winter. The old “reg’lar” in his worn leather chair in the inglenook, under the lead- ed window. The good-natured rib- bing around the dart- board. The bantering over “whose round?” The curls of sweet pipe smoke undulat- ing lazily toward the oak-beamed ccil- ing. Manages 905-213t (177) 885-2131 (133) Motorcycle goons, tatooed to their multi-ringed earlobes with Eterature like “Don’t Tread On Me” and “Mon Rules OK?” © ® : thundering in on their hogs from terribly taste~_ less municipalities, using” the North Shore pubs as_.p their waystations after.a - hor day of intimidatin the respectable. Black cars with privacy glass, full of young. - . delinquents screeching around the. ~:. streets and saving their foulest obsceni-. ties to shout at cach other at closing. :”: Heavy metal music from within; - capable of penetrating six feet.of solid: ° th “The drink-and- drive strictures are, rightly, so tough that... Iam all but a teetotal outside of my own _ premises.” .concrete.: . And, needless to say, no curls of sweet pipe. smoke. Not with the’ tobacco police in every municipality. As for the sleepy dog at master’s feet, he'd quickly be arrested for frequenting a. - place where human food is served for consump- tion. So, not without regret, having first visited quaint English pubs as recently as 1954, I’m obliged to say that the North Shore has just about the right number of pubs and in the right loca- tions. LETTERS TO THE EDITOR . Letters must include your name, full address % telephone number. VIA e-mail: trershaw @ direct.ca soneatioer Dneea Managing Editor 905-2131 (116) : Saeigrove Acting Display Manager General Office Manager 900-9511 (307) 205-2131 (105) _ + Internet: intte-//ererw.nsnews.com pub of my. ideal. wasn’t exactl her