City purchases golf course, plans renovations

WAYNESBORO, Tenn. - The city is going into the golf business.

City commissioners have agreed to buy the old Green River Country Club to develop Waynesboro's first municipal golf course.

City Manager Victor Lay said the former country club, which consists of a nine-hole course, driving range, practice green and clubhouse on approximately 100 acres, is priced at $110,000.

He said the course has been inactive for more than a year.

"It's another recreational opportunity for our residents and visitors," Lay said.

He said the city already has some plans for renovations to the course, the first being to replace all of the greens.

"The greens are bent grass, but we will be putting in championship Bermuda," Lay said. "Plus, we're going to be renovating the course's entire sprinkler system."

Lay said the course will be run as a separate city department.

"We anticipate contracting with someone as a golf course superintendent to run and manage the course," he said.

There is one golf course in the county, Ross Creek Landing, a public course in Clifton.

"Right now, golfers in Waynesboro are having to go either to Clifton or out of the county," Lay said.

David Hastings, a Waynesboro resident and avid golfer, said the acquisition can benefit the city.

He said keeping the price of play competitive will be key.

"There are a lot of players who live in the Waynesboro and Collinwood area that go to Clifton, Florence or other places to play because there is no course in Waynesboro," he said. "So, a municipal course has potential."

He said that a few years ago, the city of Hohenwald, which is just north of Waynesboro in Lewis County, purchased an old private course and developed a municipal course.

"And (that project) has done real well," Hastings said. "It worked for Hohenwald. I don't see why it can't work here and be beneficial for Waynesboro."

Lay said city officials hope to have the municipal course ready for play by next spring.

"We're going to start working on it as soon as possible, but it's so late in the season right now, I don't think we can get everything up and going in time for the growing season (for the greens)," Lay said. "So, we're going to work to have it open for next year."

Tom Smith can be reached at 740-5757 or tom.smith@timesdaily.com.