Future of
municipal golf looks
bright in the Carolinas

By Shane Sharp,
Contributing Writer

CHARLOTTE, N.C. (June 3, 2003) -- The next time you tee it up on a municipal golf course in the Carolinas, you might be convinced you are fodder for one of those new reality prank shows that harkens back to Candid Camera.

Name designer? Come on.

Course conditions and service to rival a private club? Yeah right.

• Feature: Golf and NASCAR in the Queen City • Carolina golf destinations • Carolina golf course reviews • Carolina golf features

Posh clubhouses and fine dining? Whatever.

OK guys, you can come out. Guys?

No joke -- municipal golf ain't what it used to be. It's far better. Towns and counties throughout the U.S. are spending top dollar to construct first-class golf facilities and nowhere is this trend more evident than in the Carolinas.

"Any municipality that wants to get into golf business should enter it at the mid- to high-end daily fee level," says Floyd Gragg, head golf professional at the Rocky River Golf Club north of Charlotte. "That is what competition dictates. Just look at (2002 U.S. Open host course) Bethpage Black. That is an extreme example, but more attention is being paid to public golf."

Rocky River, which opened in 1997, is owned by the city of Concord and operated by Signet Golf Associates. The multi-million facility recently was ranked among the Top 100 courses in the state, and even finished ahead of a handful of private courses.

"Even though the rankings don't categorize golf courses, we certainly have to be among the top municipal courses in the state," says Gragg. "The City of Concord is to be commended for maintaining the golf course at a high level in tough economic times."

As should the City of North Charleston, S.C.

The 27-hole Golf Club at Wescott Plantation is the city's first foray into municipal golf. Just don't expect to find hardpan lies, pull carts and a doublewide clubhouse. The City of North Charleston commissioned and financed the construction of this Michael Hurdzan/Dana Fry designed golfing pantheon in 1999. The first 18 holes opened in Oct. 2000 and the final nine was completed in February of 2002.

"I think a lot of municipalities are catching on and this is the trend," says Bill Kerman, a project designer for Hurdzan/Fry. "The muni course you grew up playing is a thing of the past."

As is the going rate to build one. The price tag for Wescott was well over $15 million -- an eye-popping expenditure for a city government on a golf course. This figure included the design and construction of three nine-hole layouts, a sumptuous practice range, and a posh, antebellum style clubhouse. That cost is not passed on to the local golfer, however.

If you go Rocky River Golf Club (704) 455-1200 rockyrivergolfclub.com Fast fact: Rocky River is located across the street from Lowe's Motor Speedway, home of NASCAR's Winston and Coca Cola 600 races. Wescott Plantation (843) 871-2135 northcharleston.org/wescottgolf Fact fact: At build out, Wescott Plantation will house close to 1,500 homes, villas and town homes.

For $40, golfers can play 18 holes with a cart on weekends. The price dips to $32 on weekdays and city residents can take an additional 10 percent off.

"Golfers are a smart lot," says Wescott general manager Keith Hardeman. "They recognize value, and they remember where they got it."

Still, Hardeman says his biggest challenge has been overcoming the "muni" stigma.

"Ever since I got here I have worked on marketing the course as city-owned," he says. "It's one of those things where once we get people to our front door, we know we are going to get them to come back. Getting them here was the challenge at first."

Now, the challenge is keeping the masses happy. According to Hardeman, the course averages about 180 rounds on weekdays 230 rounds on weekends. Having 27 holes keeps the pace of play humming, as does Hurdzan/Fry's player friendly design.

"More than anything, we like a course to be enjoyable," says Kerman. "The greatest compliment we can receive is when a player walks off one of our courses and says 'gee, that was fun and I want to play there again.' "

With its sublime conditioning, private club service levels and name designer, Wescott has put a new face on municipal golf in the Sandlapper State - one that also happens to be environmentally sound. Hurdzan/Fry is internationally known for its environmentally sensitive design philosophy, in part because of Hurdzan's Ph.D. in environmental plant physiology. Hurdzan has even earned the nickname "the guru of environmentally sensitive public golf design" for his attention to all things natural.

"Wescott certainly feels like it is part of nature, rather than being imposed on it," Kerman says. "The routing of the course was based on a premise of hop scotching around the wetlands. There was little if any fill of natural areas."

Roger that at Rocky River. The Dan Maples designed layout meanders through wetlands and rock outcroppings with due deference to its surroundings. Maples most notable nod to Mother Earth is evident on the par-5 third hole, where the shaping crew left a boulder of meteoric proportions in the middle of the fairway.

"That's what golfers talk about after they player here," says Gragg. "It's not tricked up. They uncovered that thing on that hole and just left it."

Better conditions and fancier facilities come with a price, however. At Rocky River, a round of golf with cart (and a shot at the boulder) runs $59 on weekends and $45 on weekdays -- a far cry from greens fees at the munis of yesteryear.

"I don't think golfing public minds paying a bit more for a much better product," Gragg says.

If Rocky River and Wescott are any indication, they don't mind at all.