Dec 31, 2014 – The Mesquite Golf Club had a banner year in 2014. The club reopened the newly remodeled golf course, celebrated its 50th anniversary and was named the Golf Course of the Year by The Texas Turfgrass Association.
The Mesquite Golf Club opened as the Mesquite Municipal Golf Course on Nov. 28, 1964. The course opened with the first nine holes, with the additional nine holes to be completed in March 1967. The course was designed Leon Howard and constructed by James Green. Charles Ranly was the course’s first course superintendent and golf professional.
After several years of private management, the city retook control of the course in 2010 and began an aggressive maintenance program to improve the condition of the coursed and make play more enjoyable. The efforts netted the club, the 2010 Renovation Project of the Year Award from the Texas Turfgrass Association.
Despite the substantial improvements on the course, it was still in need of more improvements than any maintenance plan could accomplish, so a plan was submitted to the city council and approved to completely renovate the club for the first time.
The closed the course in March 2013 and reopened it this year on Aug. 5, in time for the course to commemorate its 50 years of existence.
Course renovations included the renovation of three holes, the addition of 18 sand bunkers and several grass bunkers. All of the greens on the course were replaced with Champion Bermuda Grass, with native grass occupying the rough. As part of the renovations, the city also reversed the front nine and back nine layouts. The new course configuration and renovations added an additional 700 yards in length and expanded its tee boxes to provide competitive play for golfers of all abilities. The city also added additional trees, an on-course restroom and renovated the clubhouse.
The improvements were well received by patrons with no complaints, according to Ronnie Travis, golf club manager.
Mesquite officials received further validation that their renovation of the Mesquite Golf Club was a wise move, when the club was named 2014 Golf Course of the Year by the Texas Turfgrass Association in December.
