The nine-hole Winter Park Golf Course fully reopened over the weekend with new greens following months of work after an employee inadvertently applied chemicals in April that killed most of them.
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Jason Seeley, director of the city’s Parks & Recreation, said replacing the greens cost about $100,000. Although only five or six were damaged, he said it made sense to replace them all to ensure a consistent experience for players.
The timing was right as well, he said.
“It just so happened that if you were going to redo your greens, the time you would do that is right after your peak golf season ends in April,” Seeley said. “If this would’ve happened in October and I was going into the winter, which is also my peak season, it would have been catastrophic.”
Although the course underwent a $1.2 million renovation 10 years ago, Seeley said the 50,000 rounds played annually at the course take their toll. In addition to the necessary greens work, about $150,000 in already-budgeted capital improvements to all but two bunkers was completed as well.
City Manager Randy Knight said previously the employee tasked with fertilizing the greens in April utilized equipment used the day before to kill weeds at another city property. The employee failed to clean the equipment and sprayed a mixture of herbicide and fertilizer on them. He said the employee, whom he did not identify, was fired because he didn’t alert a supervisor and tried to fix the mistake himself.
The course then closed for about a week to allow time to pull out the greens, along with a piece of the fairway in front of them, and shorten the grass to create a temporary putting surface. The fixes allowed the course to remain open over the last few months while work was completed.
The city brought in Keith Rhebb, a Winter Park resident, and his design partner Riley Johns, of Rhebb & Johns Golf Course Design, for the work. They did the last renovation, which included new sod, a state-of-the-art irrigation system and a layout designed by Integrative Golf.
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“The greens now are playing a lot faster, a lot better than they probably have since we renovated the course,” Seeley said. “Every one of the bunkers pretty much has beautiful white sand that looks nice, it’s perfect.”
The 40-acre course at 761 Old England Ave., which dates back to 1914, is listed on the Florida Historic Golf Trail as the state’s second-oldest.
The narrow layout imposes a special challenge on golfers with a hook or slice, as the 2,480-yard course is nestled in an idyllic neighborhood with some tight fairways no farther than an errant chip shot from houses, two churches and a cemetery. Most players can finish a round of nine in less than two hours.
Although not a golfer, Mayor Sheila DeCiccio said she knows many who are pleased with the outcome.
“We are just thrilled it’s back,” DeCiccio said. “It took a little time, but I think we’re even better and stronger than before.”
The course is open mid-March through early November from 6:30 a.m to 6:30 p.m., and early November through mid-March from 6:30 a.m. to 5 p.m. Rates are $20 most weekdays, $26 Fridays and weekends for Winter Park residents (slightly higher for nonresidents). To book tee times or see full rate and membership information, visit the city’s website or call 407-599-3339.
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