The Laurinburg, N.C., property was purchased in mid-December by Mark Brown, who closed the golf course for six weeks of “sprucing up.” Trees and bamboo were cut back on the No. 18 green, while staff have also worked on weed control, and cutting the fairways and rough to different lengths.
After six weeks of improvements and updates, Cypress Creek Golf Course in Laurinburg, N.C., is once again welcoming golfers, the Laurinburg Exchange reported.
The course was purchased by Mark Brown, a former sod farmer based in Atlanta, in mid-December of last year and closed at the end of the month to undergo six weeks of sprucing up. Brown said certain parts of the course were in disrepair and needed to be immediately addressed, including the tees and greens, the Exchange reported.
“There were three greens that are in need of work and will be patched once the weather improves,” he said. “The issues with the green on No. 18 was the overgrown trees and bamboo. The trees and bamboo were cut back to help get the green sunshine and air flow.”
This is the first golf course Brown has purchased, but he has been in the land business for many years. Brown previously owned a sod business and now owns an intellectual property company that licenses different varieties of turf. He heard about Cypress Creek from an investor in Pinehurst, the Exchange reported.
“I plan to be very involved in getting the course back up to an acceptable standard,” he said. “I’ve been traveling to Laurinburg on a regular basis and when I’m not there my investor, who lives in Southern Pines, is there and we are both very involved and will continue to be.”
So far, minor changes have been made, Brown said, but golfers can expect to see significant improvements once the weather warms up for good, the Exchange reported.
“The greens have been painted, which is common practice in the winter, and will be patched so they can return to an acceptable standard,” he said. “Weed control throughout the course and cutting the fairways and rough to different lengths.”
These basic greenskeeping practices have not been followed for several years according to Brown, which meant the grass in the fairway, green and rough were all the same length, no pre-emergent herbicides were sprayed—which helps with weed control on turfgrasses and the condition of the tees and greens were sub-par, the Exchange reported.
Additional staff have been hired for the clubhouse, cart staff have been added and marshals will help manage the flow of play on the course on Fridays, Saturdays and Sundays, Brown said.
“In the past the standards of a golf course have been ignored, for the most part,” said Brown. “I’m sure we’ve lost customers over unacceptable behavior like larger groups being allowed to play. Things like this are not normal and will not happen anymore and the marshals will ensure that standard rules and golf etiquette are followed.”
The pricing at Cypress Creek will remain the same according to Brown, the only difference will be the price for going to the driving range will be reduced. Brown said Cypress Creek isn’t trying to compete with the premiere courses in Pinehurst he wants to give people an affordable alternative, the Exchange reported.
“We want to offer Scotland County residents and those heading to the beach a less expensive, but still quality, golfing experience,” he said.
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