The Portage Golf Club is seeing golf season in full swing already, as several patrons took to the course on Saturday to begin the new year.
General Manager Robby Moar says there were plenty of eager players ready to kick off the season over the weekend.
"To kick off golf there on Saturday, it was a little cold in the morning, but as the day got better and rolled into Sunday, we were we were real busy," Moar continues. "We were solid there on Sunday, right from 10 o'clock to 3:30, jammed up. So it was a little slow out there, but it was really good to see everybody just getting excited again and getting back out on the course."
Moar also adds that the reaction from the community to the opening weekend was outstanding.
"I think everyone's just kind of excited to put winter behind us and get going with some kind of nice, warmer sports here. I know the simulator come to town is has kept people's interest high, and which is great, and great for us both. And yeah, people have just been ready to get going. They've been itching and finally got to, got to get out there."
Cliff and Claudia McCartney were getting ready for their second round and Cliff says he is glad to be back on the course.
"It feels really good. Getting outside and and hitting balls and on the actual grass and and getting to see how the course wintered, it wintered really well. It was about it was time to get out here, you know, we go out and have some fun and the earlier we can get out the better because it's been a long winter."
Moar credits Farrol Asham's team of greens keepers for the course looking so good this early in the season.
"It looks pretty good out there. It's green. Farrol and his guys, they do so much work out there, and they got some long hours. So they put in the time, and it's paid dividends. What he put on the greens and everything over the winter to to keep them safe and healthy has been good for us. So we are hitting the ground running pretty early here, kind of earlier than some courses around us. And yeah, that's just because Farrol and his guys put us in a good spot. We're very happy with how the course looks."
The work by the crew did not go unnoticed by the patrons either, as McCartney notes.
"I thought it was great. Everything looks good. The grounds crew did a good job cleaning up all the broken branches and some leaves. I would say all the Greens look fairly good. Only a couple little marks from deer on 17, but other than that I think it did really well and and it looks like they're making some improvements already. So, yeah, I think it's going to be a great year."
