A&M announces plans for major golf course renovations

If you want to play golf at Texas A&M you’re going to have to wait about a year to do so.

That’s because the course has been shut down and will continue to be closed until next fall due to major renovations.

University officials announced their plans for the course today and Lauren Holman explains how this one will be unlike any other in the state.

For the past two months the turf on the A&M golf course has slowly been dying and it’s not due to a lack of rainfall; it’s because plans are currently underway to renovate the course.

Joe Weber, Vice President for student affairs says, “There’s been a golf course here on this site at the front door of our university for well over 60 years and it’s time to upgrade that.”

Now that the course is privatized and run by Sterling Golf Management renovations are possible.

The upgrades will include: 18 newly designed holes, an extended driving range, a new irrigation system and 3 additional holes for research purposes, making the course attractive for numerous reasons.

“If you want to find out how to grow grass, and manage golf courses and fairways and greens and all those types of things like irrigation, Texas A&M is where it’s going to be,” said Weber.

Designers say that even though the 18 hole course may look challenging even beginners will be able to find success on the greens.

“It’s going to be something that’s very traditional, very early American style but open fronts to the greens, wide fairways and very playable,” said Jeff Blume, the course designer. “But it’s something you don’t see a whole lot of in Texas.”

A quality that university officials say will bring in golfers from around the country.

“Golfers will travel if they find they have a course with a unique experience fore them,” said Blume.

The renovations will be completed in three phases — the 18 holes and driving range will be finished first.

Their hope is to have the course back up and running in time to tee off before the first 2013 home football game.