Glaze Meadow Golf Course opens at BBR

Glaze Meadow Golf Course at Black Butte Ranch (BBR) is opening for the season this week. The course is said to be in top shape and ready to play - barring a not-unheard-of spring snow storm.

The Glaze Meadow course will be holding normal operations.

"Of course there will be some frost delays, but we are setting up normal tee times. They are currently mowing greens every day and have cleaned up the course. There had been a lot of branches, pine cones and that sort of thing from the strong winds over the winter. But everything is perfect now," said Terry Anderson, Big Meadow Golf Course Head Pro, the sister golf course at BBR.

Although the course has been cleaned and brought up to spring playing standards, there have been no changes in the course itself and the various construction projects at BBR have not affected it in any way.

"The variety and the beauty up there is nothing short of spectacular," said Anderson.

Tom Baker has been appointed as Glaze Meadow's new Head Pro and will bring his experience to bear at the course.

The opening of the Big Meadow Golf Course has been delayed this year due to work that is continuing from the major remodel that was initiated over the last two seasons. This year will find a completely reworked driving range and the replacement of the four tee boxes that escaped the massive renewal project last year.

Although the golf course itself is in fine condition after the work that was completed last year, "the driving range has been completely remodeled, and it is still torn up. We are shaping it now and getting it ready for seed. The Big Meadow course itself will probably open right around the end of April," Anderson said.

The Big Meadow course renovation is nearly completed. "We did all the tee boxes last year except for 11, 12, 13 and 14. This winter we cleared out some trees and extended those tee boxes back into the more natural contour of the original design by Robert Muir Graves. They are spectacular now, and we are waiting to put on the top soil so they can be seeded. I would guess that these new tee boxes will be open around the 10th of June. We need warm nights for the grass to grow well," said Anderson.

When the Big Meadow course opens, there will still be a small portion that will not yet be fully renewed due to the growth of the grass on the last of the restored areas. "They will be on temporary tees until June 10 (on holes 11 -14). That won't bother most people," Anderson said.

There is some rework in the wind for the Glaze Meadow Golf Course, and it has not been forgotten in the shadow of the Big Meadow renovation.

"Glaze Meadow is on the drawing board for some renovations and upgrades. Probably some bunkers and greens and reshaping some of the holes, but I don't believe that that will happen until maybe 2009, depending upon how things develop. It is something that Jeff Fought ( BBR director of golf) and I have talked about, and it will make that golf course a star," said Anderson.

BBR's golf school will be featured again this year with the return of George Mack as its director. Nationally acclaimed Scott Sackett will also return this year to provide the high level of instruction that has made him a national icon. Sackett is currently ranked as one of America's "Top 100 Teachers" by Golf Magazine and Golf Digest honors him on its "Best Teachers" list. Sackett is a regular guest on the Golf Channel.

BBR has a number of promotional specials to kick off the golf season. Tee times for the Glaze Meadow course may be scheduled by calling 595-1500 or 800-399-2322.