Members of the St. Robert Park Committee, seeking to stretch a dollar, are looking for help as they make recommendations for a municipal golf course.
Park Committee members are proceeding with plans for the golf course adjacent to City Hall, and they have instructed the city's new park facilities director to see whether the company from which it will purchase artificial turf is willing to make the course a showplace for other entities that may want the same weather-resistant turf.
The committee then will bring recommendations back to the City Council.
Golf course designer Larry Flatt, of Golf Services, Inc., of Jefferson City, Mo., recently returned from Westchester, N.Y., were he visited a course that employs the artificial turf. Flatt suggested St. Robert officials talk to officials at Field Turf to see whether they would consider a discount if the turf were put on the St. Robert course.
“Perhaps, they would be willing to work with you or you could obtain some sort of grant,” Flatt said. “There is nothing like this around. To have this here, next to the Fort, Rolla and in St. Robert could be a showplace for them.”
Park Committee Chairman Gene Newkirk instructed new Park Facilities Supervisor Betheny Martin to work with Flatt on the idea the course could be a showplace and to see what funding grants may be available.
“We have the funds for this, but if we can lessen the costs, that'll be money for other things,” Newkirk said of the estimated $475,528 for the par-3, nine-hole course.
Reporting to the committee, Flatt had high praises for the artificial turf.
“I hit a 60-yard sand wedge, and the ball went about two feet, just like it should,” Flatt said. “It really plays like natural turf ... except you don't have the ball marks.”
Flatt said he walked the 25-plus acre site just east and south of St. Robert City Hall, and he recommended some changes.
“I want to be sure to leave as much timber as possible,” Flatt said. “I also think we should move the schedule back a bit. I think we should do the (fairway timber) clearing in November, seed the tee areas in April, put Bermuda down in June with the intent of opening sometime in summer of 2011,” Flatt said.
According to graphic depiction of the course, Flatt has laid out the nine holes varying in distance from the men's and women's tee boxes from 605 to 870 yards.
The site, formerly the Hamilton farm, was one of two the city considered. The other being the recently purchased site adjacent to Plattner Park.
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