Speaking to Cr Russell Mawhinney at the Frankton Community Association annual meeting at Queenstown Airport, golfer Robin Rice said at the 2011 annual meeting "80% of the [councillors] were in favour of retaining the golf club".
"Now, we have the events centre champing at the bit to get their hands on the Frankton golf course so they can put running tracks and hockey fields in place of the golf course.
"I really feel that the council, the events centre and even our own golf club, has let us down very badly.
"We find that promise that was made has just been totally disregarded.
"I just really feel that it's diabolical ... I just feel that you should be ashamed of yourselves." Mr Rice's comments came after Cr Mawhinney, chairman of the Frankton golf course working party, provided an update to about 60 people at the meeting on the golf course.
"Stage one" for the working party - to ensure golf remained at the Frankton site in the "short to medium term" - was completed, but stage two - identifying and creating a "replacement course" - was an ongoing process.
Mr Mawhinney said while he acknowledged Mr Rice's comments "I don't agree with them".
"We wanted to retain golf in Frankton. That's where we're at.
"I think ... we need to wait and see what happens over the next wee while ... you might find you end up with something better."
Queenstown Lakes mayor Vanessa van Uden said in response to Mr Rice, "at least" 80% of councillors at the last annual meeting promised to retain access "around Frankton to a simple, flat ... golf course".
"I never guaranteed it would be on the Frankton site.
"I think it needs to be accessible for members of our community, but it's about balancing the needs of our community.
"What was achieved was giving you an answer on July 1 ... it continued to be available.
"It will continue to be available in the short to medium term until an alternative is [identified]."Cr Mawhinney said the council had managed to reach a deal whereby the golf club's lease - which expired on June 30 this year - was not renewed, but its management had been transferred to Lakes Leisure.
The golf club was involved in a "seven-month operational contract" to run golf matters, while Lakes Leisure would be involved in marketing, turf management and administration.
"They're still going to have the pro shop in there. Existing golf club members are going to be looked after.
"It's good for the time being.
"For the working party, that was stage one - to make sure we keep golf going [at Frankton]."
However, the identification and creation of an alternative course would be a more lengthy process and was dependent on several other factors, including Queenstown Airport's Notice of Requirement for a section of land presently owned by Remarkables Park Ltd.
A section of that land, known as Lot 6, had been proposed by RPL as a potential site for the replacement course.
"I wouldn't want to see anything happen to the existing golf course until we know what the outcome is [with regard to Lot 6 from the Environment Court]," Cr Mawhinney said.
"I think people are just going to have to be a little bit patient as we work our way through it.
"At the moment, we don't have final answers ... but it's happening.
"The intention of this working party is to stay in place and keep an eye on things and then look to stage two, to try and find an adequate replacement."
Cr Mawhinney told the Queenstown Times yesterday money had been earmarked in the long-term plan for work on the replacement course in 2015, which meant the Frankton golf course was expected to be operational until then.
While it would be preferable to have a replacement course "sooner rather than later", the council was waiting for the outcome of the Notice of Requirement before it progressed further.
The Remarkables Park land was one of five options so far identified, the others being Shotover Country, Jacks Point, a piece of land at Ladies Mile and another piece of land at Tuckers Beach Rd.
"We want something that's flat, central and affordable - they are pretty key requirements.
"It doesn't need to be Augusta. We've got plenty of good courses."
