Free Buhl Farm Golf Course seeks support from the public

The claim to fame is being the nation's only free golf course. But changes in the law could impact the fund that maintains the Buhl Farm Course in Mercer County.

The course is part of the overall experience of Buhl Park left to the community by industrialist Frank Buhl.

Buhl Park Trustee Phil Marrie tells 21 News it costs a million dollars to operate the park. With no tax dollars coming in,  everything is paid for with donations, or by money from the Buhl Trust fund.

But changes in the law have now placed limitations on access to the Buhl Trust. "Now you can only take five to ten percent out of the trust. So if you have a trust that is 8-million dollars you can take $450,000 out of it, and that leaves another $500,000." said Marrie.

Around 12-thousand rounds of golf are played at the course each year, and more than 5,000 youngsters have taken part in the First Tee program, learning not only about golf but values for living like honesty, responsibility and sportsmanship.

 Generations have enjoyed the park and supporters say they are confident the community will do what's needed to continue it's tradition. "It's time that we have to go to the community to ask for support and that's what we're doing." said Marrie, who believes the area will get involved and rally around the effort.