Local businessman Gary Surdyke bought the Festus, Mo. property, which features a Michael Hurdzan-designed golf course, from the Union Pacific Railroad Company. The railroad bought the property in 2003, put $4 million into a course remodel, and restricted its use to dignitaries and guests who played only a handful of rounds each month. With plans to reopen as a semi-private club, the new ownership will make renovations within the clubhouse and welcome center.
Crystal Highlands Golf Course in Festus, Mo. was purchased by local businessman Gary Surdyke with plans of opening as a semi-private golf club, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. The club was previously owned by Union Pacific Railroad Company for private use.
Designed by Dr. Michael Hurdzan—who has also designed nearby Annbriar Golf Course in Waterloo, Mo., the Tavern Creek course at the Country Club of St. Albans (Mo.), and Sunset Country Club in St. Louis—Crystal Highlands features scenic views, rolling fairways, strategic bunker placements, and large undulating greens.
Union Pacific bought the golf course in 2003 and closed it to the public, the Post-Dispatch reported. In 2007, a local business owner, Daniel T. Mahn, tried to rally the public to encourage the railroad to open the course to the public or as a semi-private facility, arguing it would benefit both the railroad and the community.
“It’s closed to the public but it’s still being used by dignitaries and guests of the railroad who stay at the [facility],” Mahn said at the time. “It’s not even open for private use, it’s just for their guests.
“As I understand it, there are only three or four rounds of golf a month played there and they spent about $4 million to remodel the golf course.”
Surdyke told the Post-Dispatch his team will make some renovations to the facility within the clubhouse and welcome center, and they plan to utilize the large existing kitchen. They will soon have around 60 golf carts delivered to the course to be ready to open up to the public on August 2.
The Crystal Highlands website currently consists of only an application seeking part-time, seasonal employees with experience in the food/beverage industry, golf course maintenance or lawn care industry, and retail industry.
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