GOLF / Lakeview Golf Course is slowly taking new shape

Tummy tucks and face lifts are synonymous with women on the Hollywood leading-lading lists as they try to keep their beautiful looks as they age.

Lakeview Golf Course, while not a leading lady, is also going through this transformation with “leading man” Joey Lee in hopes of getting a second chance at stardom.

The 39-year-old course, which opened with nine holes in June of 1972 and added nine holes in 1991, is showing signs of wear and tear after hundreds of thousands of rounds over the years. Very little has been done to the original nine to change the overall appearance or update it to a more modern look.

“People go to a course because of its design,” said Lee, the golf course superintendent and club pro. “We’re trying to stimulate interest and get people back here. What we’re trying to do is coming during a very difficult time because of the economy �- money is so tight.

“We’re doing everything we can to stimulate interest and get folks back out here.”

Lee’s first order of business when he arrived was to give the fairways more definition with tucks. Once wide open fairways were shaped and rough was grown to a first cut for an appeasing, shapely look. That’s where the tummy tuck analogy comes in.

The face lift portion happened when many bunkers were eliminated and others added. Trees behind some greens were cut down, and several putting surfaces were redesigned.

“We removed bunkers because they were not designed right,” said Lee. “They held water like a bathtub and it would take several days for the water to dry up. Second, the bunker sand was gone so you were having to hit out of dirt.”

Seven of the 18 holes have new greenside bunkers with two being added in the last two weeks. Holes 1, 3, 10 and 12 were the first to receive the new bunkers with 18 having its bunkers re-configured.

Source: www.theblacksheartimes.com