http://www.theeagle.com/region/localregional/022703traditions.htm
February 27, 2003
Traditions course gaining momentum
By ETHAN BUTTERFIELD
Eagle Staff Writer
Construction of the long-delayed Traditions golf course is under way, and members could be teeing it up at the west Bryan site by late this year, the city’s project manager said Wednesday.
Tuesday’s decision by the Bryan City Council to transfer ownership of the 240 acres on which the course is being built to the Melrose Corp. seemed to signal the end of the protracted fight over the project’s future.
The vote was unanimous, with even long-time critics of Bryan’s subsidizing of the private development voting for the conveyance of the land from the city to Melrose.
Melrose, which will use the property as collateral to secure an $8 million loan to fund construction, hired Weitz Golf International in September to begin building the course.
Since then, Weitz has laid out the entire course and is working on constructing the greens and bridges. But rain in the last week has delayed progress.
Course designers Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus Jr. will pay Traditions a visit in late March to check on the status of construction. Nicklaus Jr. has been to the site several times in the last year, but the trip will be the first for the elder Nicklaus.
Once the weather heats up, grass sprigs will be laid down on the course, most likely in April, when temperatures will stay above 55 degrees, said John Blackburn, the city of Bryan’s project manager.
“They’re little pieces of grass that have roots on them,” he said. “They’ll till the soil up. And then they put that on, and they roll it and get it flat. And then they start watering the heck out of it, and the root system spreads along the surface.”
Once the grass sprigs are on the course and the irrigation systems are completed, Weitz will transfer overseeing duties to Troon Golf, the company that will manage the golf course for Melrose.
Troon’s greens superintendent will then be in charge of growing the grass and making any landscaping changes as the course’s projected Oct. 31 opening date draws closer.
The project includes a practice facility for Texas A&M University’s golf team, which will play its home matches at Traditions once construction is complete.
The facility will include practice greens, practice chipping areas, a covered driving range and clubhouse building that will include a computerized stroke analysis machine.
Two practice holes will also be built. The holes are part of a third nine holes that have already been designed and laid out but are scheduled to be built in the future.
Melrose promised A&M that it would get the practice facilities up and running by the time school opens in late August.
The early opening of the practice facilities is still on schedule, Blackburn said.
February 27, 2003
Traditions course gaining momentum
By ETHAN BUTTERFIELD
Eagle Staff Writer
Construction of the long-delayed Traditions golf course is under way, and members could be teeing it up at the west Bryan site by late this year, the city’s project manager said Wednesday.
Tuesday’s decision by the Bryan City Council to transfer ownership of the 240 acres on which the course is being built to the Melrose Corp. seemed to signal the end of the protracted fight over the project’s future.
The vote was unanimous, with even long-time critics of Bryan’s subsidizing of the private development voting for the conveyance of the land from the city to Melrose.
Melrose, which will use the property as collateral to secure an $8 million loan to fund construction, hired Weitz Golf International in September to begin building the course.
Since then, Weitz has laid out the entire course and is working on constructing the greens and bridges. But rain in the last week has delayed progress.
Course designers Jack Nicklaus and Jack Nicklaus Jr. will pay Traditions a visit in late March to check on the status of construction. Nicklaus Jr. has been to the site several times in the last year, but the trip will be the first for the elder Nicklaus.
Once the weather heats up, grass sprigs will be laid down on the course, most likely in April, when temperatures will stay above 55 degrees, said John Blackburn, the city of Bryan’s project manager.
“They’re little pieces of grass that have roots on them,” he said. “They’ll till the soil up. And then they put that on, and they roll it and get it flat. And then they start watering the heck out of it, and the root system spreads along the surface.”
Once the grass sprigs are on the course and the irrigation systems are completed, Weitz will transfer overseeing duties to Troon Golf, the company that will manage the golf course for Melrose.
Troon’s greens superintendent will then be in charge of growing the grass and making any landscaping changes as the course’s projected Oct. 31 opening date draws closer.
The project includes a practice facility for Texas A&M University’s golf team, which will play its home matches at Traditions once construction is complete.
The facility will include practice greens, practice chipping areas, a covered driving range and clubhouse building that will include a computerized stroke analysis machine.
Two practice holes will also be built. The holes are part of a third nine holes that have already been designed and laid out but are scheduled to be built in the future.
Melrose promised A&M that it would get the practice facilities up and running by the time school opens in late August.
The early opening of the practice facilities is still on schedule, Blackburn said.