Golf fundraising nears completion
Plans for construction of a nine-hole golf course at Mozingo Lake endorsed by five-time British Open champion Tom Watson and designed for junior players continue apace, with work scheduled to begin in about two months.
Dr. Bruce Twaddle, the Maryville dentist and golf enthusiast at the forefront of the project, told the Maryville City Council Monday that design work is complete, and that the contractor could “start turning some soil in the next 60 days.”
“With that project line, we should be looking at seeding in the fall and getting some grow-in before seeding again in the spring,” Twaddle said.
Twaddle called an opening day in May or June of 2015 “ambitious but realistic.”
To date, fundraising for the project has generated $460,000 toward the overall estimated cost of $520,000, Twaddle said. The major contribution is a $250,000 grant from the Wadsworth Golf Charities Foundation in conjunction with Links Across America, which promotes golf among young people.
The foundation is associated with Wadsworth Golf Construction Co., which has built several well-known courses in the United States.
Watson’s company, Tom Watson Design is providing services at the new 1,600-yard course at no charge and completed design work about two weeks ago. Twaddle said a meeting is planned Monday with officers of Mid-America Golf & Landscape Inc., the Lee’s Summit company which will build the course.
Mid-America Golf is the company that built the original 18-hole course at Mozingo Lake.
The youth course will be located on a 30-acre tract north of the existing clubhouse adjacent to the existing 10th fairway.
The fundraising effort has generated approximately $210,000 in addition to the grant from the Wadsworth group. Twaddle said the effort is ongoing, and that a “broader community campaign” will be launched in the near future.
Maryville City Manager Greg McDanel said a groundbreaking ceremony is planned this summer in addition to a grand opening with a possible appearance by Watson.
“Tom Watson likes this project, and for that we are grateful,” Twaddle said. “We want to honor him at the course, too. In 100 years, no one will remember me or Greg McDanel — maybe (Councilman) Glenn Jonagan. But people will remember Tom Watson, and his connection to this course will make it a great attraction.”
Plans call for the youth course to be a part of the First Tee program, an international youth development organization that seeks to teach golf to young people along with sportsmanship, honesty, respect and courtesy.
