Restoration of the Month:           Myers Park Country Club
                                                             Charlotte, NC

The history of the Myers Park Country Club is long and interesting. Member Tom Ashcraft has laid out the history in small dialogue. The original pedigree is somewhat hazy. Suffice to say that golf has been played for over 80 years on the property.

In 1945, Donald Ross and Associates presented drawings for the Club. The changes that were encompassed in the drawings were implemented in 1948.

The course that he laid out over the existing routing serves as the backbone of the course today. The course upon completion was 6,858 yards. Seven years after the opening, the 1955 US Women's Amateur was held at Myers Park.

Hole Number 17 at Myers Park

Approach to the green on the opening hole.

Well time and priorities changed the course at Myers Park. A practice range, a Clubhouse expansion, the sale of some Club property and other factors caused change to the Ross course. In 1959 some changes were made by Ellis Maples, an Associate of Donald Ross, a couple of holes were rerouted and par was changed. The greens were also enlarged and new rolls were added. New turf was also introduced.

Evaluation:

Myers Park is a wonderful site. Rolling hill, gentle elevation changes and great topographical variety. Bobby Weed made great use of the land.
- Tees were squared and expanded.

- The fairway bunkering that was rebuilt and in some cases added is quite authentic. The placement of a couple of cross-bunkers on the backside is fabulous.

- The greens were expanded which created many more pinning positions. In an effort to accommodate more play some of the greens probably grew larger than those originally laid out by Ross. A couple of shorter par five holes and at least one par four have greens much larger than Ross would normally have designed. The greens are interesting and challenging and like the original course they are close to the next tee.

- The course has a wonderful flow and a theme that is quite Ross reminiscent, which continues from the first tee to the 18th green.

- The green surfaces are exceptional for greens only a year old.

- The overall experience of Myers Park is very pleasant, very old style, very Donald Ross.

Time went on, trees were planted, tennis courts were added and the course continued to be a popular place for the Members. In 1983, Rees Jones was hired to refurbish the course. Rees rebuilt several bunkers and greens and planted the putting surfaces with Penncross bent. The greens and the bunkering work was well received but the work done by Rees was more of the early 80's and far away from the original Ross intent.

The Jones course was quite popular among the Members at Myers Park but like all other courses, time, tree growth, bunker wear and mowing patterns. The Penncross greens were becoming smaller and more degraded. In essence the course was wearing down.

In 1999, the Members were looking for significant improvements. They had a desire to plant their green surfaces with a new bent hybrid, expand the greens and make more pinning positions to accommodate the increase in rounds being played.

After a search, which included a discussion with Walker Taylor IV, Vice President of the Donald Ross Society, the Members decided to hire Bobby Weed of Ponte Vedra Beach, Florida to do a Ross restoration.

Bobby Weed lowered all of the green surfaces to match those seen in archival photos of the Ross course. He also expanded the surfaces and smoothed many of the undulations that Rees Jones had added. In addition, Weed lengthened the course where possible. Finally, the greens were replanted with A-1 bentgrass.

Myers Park ranks right up there with the work that Bobby Weed did at Timuquana Country Club in Jacksonville. If you get an opportunity, take a look.

My thanks to Tom Ashcraft of Myers Park for the history and a tour of the course with Clayton Bundy, Xan Law, Jr. and himself.

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