Seven months after closing down for renovations, Shelby Park Golf Course celebrated their 100th anniversary on Friday morning.
NASHVILLE, Tenn. (WKRN) — Seven months after closing down for renovations, Shelby Park Golf Course celebrated their 100th anniversary on Friday morning.
With $2 million invested into the site by Metro Parks, the course got some major upgrades, including new greens, new tee boxes and a completely remodeled clubhouse. City officials, area golfers and members of the community gathered at the Nashville course to recognize the occasion.
The city’s oldest public golf course closed in March and was supposed to be shut down for a year. Instead, the renovation project finished both ahead of schedule and under budget. The history of the course largely inspired its restoration. A former PGA golfer and US Open winner who first played at Shelby Park in the 1940s celebrated that history on Friday.
“I can remember I’d walk out here to the putting green right there when I was about like 6, 7, 8 years of age with my other three brothers,” Lou Graham said. “I’ve told more than one person today that this course has the best view from the clubhouse of any course I’ve ever seen, and I’ve seen I don’t know how many all over the world.”
Graham was not only a guest-of-honor, but two of his old clubs that had been given to him when he was just a kid will now hang inside the course’s clubhouse.
“It’s a wonderful game and a wonderful day like this brings everybody together,” Graham added.
“These are such great assets to our community, right? A place where the community can gather. The health and wellness benefits around these golf courses are off the charts,” said Whit Turnbow, President of the Tennessee Golf Foundation, which oversaw the renovation efforts. “A lot of really accomplished players have been around these links, and we’re glad to see them come back to life.”
On Friday, it was the course’s staff who played a round; a ‘thank you’ for their hard work these past seven months.
Shelby Golf Course will officially reopen to the public on Saturday, with tee times largely booked up for the days and weeks ahead.