River Oaks work continues

Renovations on the Otter nine at the 27-hole River Oaks Golf Club facility have been completed and the holes reopened Thursday. The Fox nine will close Monday for a similar project.

On the Otter nine, which closed July 7, more than 2,000 trees were removed, a number of bunkers were eliminated and others were added, cart paths were improved, and both drainage and irrigation work was done.

American Golf manages River Oaks. Signature Golf Group, a local management company, has been hired to oversee the projects, and designer Craig Schreiner of Myrtle Beach is implementing the changes and improvements.

"Before there were probably 50 to 60 bunkers, and a lot of them weren't really in play but could affect a high-handicap player," said Signature Golf president Dave Downing, the project manager. "We tried to create a better golf course where the good player would still be challenged but it was a little more open for the average player."

The bunker work included new sand, and greenside bunkers on the Otter are now more penal. Some former bunkers were filled in or converted to grass bunkers.

Downing expects the Fox nine to reopen in March, in time for the spring golf season. He said it has yet to be determined when the Bear nine will close for refurbishments. All 27 greens at River Oaks were changed to the high-quality Champions ultra-dwarf Bermudagrass in recent years.