National Park Service allows golfers to tee up during shutdown

Following up on a tip sent in by a vigilant Blaze reader, I made a quick call to San Francisco’s Presidio Golf Club, this morning. I can confirm that the public golf course, clubhouse and café are cheerfully open for business -- all sit on the same national park land as the privately owned and operated, and currently shuttered, Cliff House restaurant.

Like the Cliff House, the golf club operates as a private vendor on national park land. Unlike the Cliff House, however, it is a member of the nationally renowned Arnold Palmer Golf Management empire which oversees 74 golf clubs, public and private, across the country, including the posh private Hoakalei Country Club on the island of Oahu.

And unlike the Cliff House, and many other private concessions on park land, the Presidio Golf Club has not been threatened, patrolled, barricaded, put under armed guard, or otherwise harassed by park service goons. You can call the golf club and set up your tee time, hassel-free. The young man on the phone is very helpful.

To review:

The National Park Service is cancelling this weekend’s kiddie sandcastle contest on San Francisco’s Ocean Beach. The slice of sand normally has no lifeguards or rangers, is permanently open to the public, and requires no funds for day-to-day operations.

Dan and Mary Hountalas, owners of Cliff House, valiantly fought their shutdown, and lost on orders straight from Washington DC. The historic eatery expects to lose $10,000 a day and 170 employees are losing their livelihoods.

Park goers across the country are being fined and barred from even glimpsing Mother Nature’s wonders.

The lesson of the shutdown showdown?

Oil and gas on federal land: Drive, baby, drive.

Playing a round of golf at an elite, national green: It’s all aces.

Hiking, biking, camping, dining, even residing in your own home: If federal land is involved, you might as well be beached.