The course has been closed since last September, and Grieshop admits he hits the ground more than he hits the ball anyway.
Grieshop met with around 20 golfers from the Tri-City area to talk about the possible formation of a county board to oversee the golf course. The course is already the property of the county and has been managed by the Southeast Foundation, part of Southeast Kentucky Community and Technical College System, since 1998.
The golfers agreed with Grieshop's suggestion.
The Kentucky Department of Parks system was expected to take control of the course, along with the Kentucky Coal Mining Museum, Benham School House Inn, Portal 31 and Kingdom Come State Park.
Sleepy Hollow, however, was left out of the deal.
With numerous problems including extensive turf damage due to algae and a failing sprinkler system, the course, which was built in the 1930s, hasn't opened for business in 2005.
"This golf course has been a vital part of this community for a hundred years," he said.
Now, he said the turf isn't fit for play.
"A lot of money goes out the area, out of the county. It could be spent right here," said Jim Vicini, who travels out of the county to golf.
As the other Tri-City attractions were being taken over the state, Grieshop thought it would be the perfect time to take a second look at the golf course.
"I thought this was the best moment, in the transition," he said. "We weren't getting what we needed out of it."
Grieshop said a functioning golf course would be an "integral part of," of the Tri-City tourism industry.
Similar to the board the fiscal court formed to run the county's off-road park, Grieshop suggested a board be formed to oversee Sleepy Hollow. He said he would take the idea to the fiscal court and request funding to get the course back into running order, estimated by some to be in the tens of thousands, all in the name of promoting tourism and family recreation.
"We realize it's going to take some money to get the greens to where they need to be," he said.
"At best your income will meet your expenses. But the benefit is to the community. ... an extra day at the hotels, a couple of meals at the restaurants."
Grieshop also expressed that he wanted the course to be available for anyone and everyone to use, and suggested a youth golf club could be organized.
"It can't be a rich man's golf course," he said. "And who's going to play golf when you guys are gone. Our youth are our future. Who's going to golf if you don't teach.
"Whey my kids were in sports they did better in school. When they weren't in sports they got lazy and didn't do as well."
Grieshop agreed to meet with local golfers again on July 11 for further discussion of the details before the next fiscal court meeting.
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