A half-a-million dollars and 125,000 square feet of new turf are going to transform Hillcrest Golf Club by spring.
“It should be more pleasing to the eye and more challenging,” said Jack Morrison, chairman of the club’s grounds committee.
The board that governs the golf club, a nonprofit organization, spent three years planning the construction, and it hired an architect to help redesign parts of the course.
“We’re hoping to rejuvenate, reinvigorate some interest into the golf course. ... It sort of got stale,” said Ken Kirby, grounds superintendent.
About 40,000 people play the course annually, and after construction, the club is hoping to compete better with other public golf courses in Cortez and New Mexico, he said.
While the course is public, it is not managed by the city, Kirby said.
The club holds a 99-year lease on the land, and it must pay for all the upgrades through fees. But fees aren’t planned to go up because of the construction project.
The last major construction on the golf course was in the 1970s, and since then, the course has struggled with flaws, like flat sand traps and uneven tee boxes, he said.
New, reshaped sand traps, some reconstructed tee boxes and realignment at some of the holes are all part of the project that started in late August. It is scheduled to wrap up around Nov. 10.
A striking example of redesign is Hole 4, where the player now has a clear view of the fairway from the new tee boxes. Previously, no one could see where their ball was landing after they teed off, Morrison said.
At Hole 13, Mountain View Crest can now be seen rising in the distance after the club removed some tall pine trees.
“The views at Hillcrest are one of our greatest selling points,” said Will Herz, assistant grounds superintendent.
The improvements should also make the course more enjoyable for more skill levels. The club currently has about 590 season pass-holders, and the local college and high school golf teams also rely on the course.
The new forward tees should help make a round more fun for those who want a shorter course.
Guy Begay, head coach for the Fort Lewis College golf teams, said some of the changes around the course will force his players to make smarter decisions.
“Hillcrest will have a little bit more of a modern feel,” he said.
The new tee boxes that were graded using a laser will also help the players have more consistent strokes.
Hillcrest, which maintains 80 irrigated acres, will also be a bit easier for upkeep, Kirby said.
Removing some of the pines should help save water and protect the club’s mowers from shallow roots that damage the machinery.
The club plans to replant some deciduous and ornamental trees at the end of the project so the course will have about 1,000 trees total.
The course has stayed open during construction, and, so far, the reaction has been positive, said John Vickers, head golf professional.
“Most people feel it was long overdue,” he said.
mshinn@durangoherald.com
