Flood-prone Jones Golf Course could go from 18 holes to 9

UPDATE: Golf Superintendent Lisa Miller says she doesn't expect a repeat of the anger that erupted in 2007 after Cedar Rapids officials proposed selling off 20 acres of the Twin Pines Golf Course to build high-end retail shops.

This time, Miller says she expects the majority of the city's golfers will understand that it makes sense to turn the flood-prone, 18-hole Jones Golf Course back into what it was before 2001 -- a nine-hole course.

Miller on Monday revealed the city's plans for the Jones course, which will preserve the course's easier front nine while creating a three-hole, par-three "academy course," a fourth instructional hole and a driving range from much of the current back nine holes that are particularly prone to flooding.

The course's back nine is now out of commission and has been after repeated rounds of high water this year, she said.

More years than not, the course needs to shut down for a time because of flooding, which costs the city's golf operation revenue and makes golfers unsure just when the course is open, she said.

She said the nine-hole course will be able to stay open most years.

"A consistent business operation is really key to this plan," Miller said.

Miller said the idea, too, is to create a golf learning center at the Jones course to help teach youngsters and others how to play the game.

"It will provide every opportunity to learn the game, to grow the game," she said.

The number of people golfing has been in decline nationwide, though the number using Cedar Rapids' four city courses picked up in 2012, she said.

Nonetheless, Miller said reducing by nine holes the 72 holes of golf now provided on city courses will move the number of holes on city courses more in line with demand.

Out at Jones Golf Course on Thursday, the reaction from golfers was mixed, though no one suggested that they were ready to mount a fight at City Hall against the proposed change.

Larry Ramsay, 82, said he didn't think many from seniors in his senior league would be "that upset" if nine of the 18 holes close at Jones. He typically only plays nine holes anyway, he said.

People would be upset, he added, if the city closed the entire course.

Mark Reasoner, 48, said he enjoys all 18 holes at Jones and he said he wishes the city would keep it as an 18-hole course. The back nine is more difficult and gives Jones golfers a better challenge, he said.

Bill Perdew, 81, said "most of the guys I've talked to" have said it makes sense to close the back nine because of how often it takes on water from Prairie Creek and must be shut down.

"The city can't continue to spend money to repair it," Perdew said.

"I hate to see it," Bob Havel, 68, said of the proposal to change the course. "But I can understand it. It's definitely tough to keep up with the flooding every year. That's made it awful hard to keep it going. But it's a beautiful golf course."

Golf Superintendent Miller noted that the city spent more than $1 million back in 2001 to expand the Jones courses from nine to 18 holes and to refurbish many of the existing holes. Part of that effort included elevating greens to prevent them from flooding, she said.

Since 2001, though, Miller said the thought has been that considerable development in the Prairie Creek watershed on the west side of Cedar Rapids has contributed to more runoff from pavement and roofs into Prairie Creek. At the same time, once the Cedar River reaches the city's flood level of 12 feet, river water backs up into Prairie Creek. A lot of rain then raises the water level of the creek at the Jones Golf Course from both directions, Miller said.

Miller said the expense in 2001 to enlarge the Jones Golf Course isn't all for naught. Only three of the 18 holes will not be used in the new setup with the nine-hole course and the training academy and driving range, she noted.

It's still uncommon for the Cedar River to get to 16 feet, a level below which the transformed Jones Golf Course & Learning Center would still be able to stay open, Miller said.

This year, on June 2, the Cedar River reached 18.23 feet, its tenth highest crest. In June 2008, it reached an all-time high of 31.12 feet.

Miller said the proposed course transformation will cost $11,877, about a third of the cost to the city to make repairs on the course as a result of this year's flooding.

The city's Department of Parks and Recreation and its golf staff members will hold open houses at the Jones course clubhouse on Wednesday from 1 to 2:30 p.m. and from 6 to 7:30 p.m. to discuss the proposed design of the Jones Golf Course and Learning Center.

Miller said the City Council is slated to take up the matter at its Aug. 13 meeting.

Seeding at the course needs to take place between Aug. 15 and Sept. 15 if the new academy holes and driving range are to be ready for 2014, she said.

[mqMap key="HxBo" width="680" height="420" src="http://www.mapquest.com/embed?icid=mqdist_mb_wp&c=HxBo&maptype=map&zm=14&cr=41.948289999999965,-91.64917000000001&projection=sm&showScale=false"]My New Map[/mqMap]