Golfers irked as Little Rock courses miss the cut

On a warm Thursday morning, Little Rock's War Memorial Park hums with activity.

Amid green hills and tall trees, kids in swimsuits shout and scurry up a rocky playground structure, darting in and out of the sprays of water from in-ground jets. A dozen women in tank tops and leggings jump and squat through an aerobics routine, as strollers sit in a row nearby. Golfers in polo shirts and khaki shorts survey the grounds before taking their swings.

The golf course comprises 90 acres in midtown Little Rock, land that to some has been the site of a beloved routine and pastime for decades, and to others signifies an opportunity for change in the heart of the city.

Last week, Mayor Frank Scott Jr. announced that the city would cease golf operations at War Memorial and Hindman parks. Closing two of the city's four public golf courses in order to provide "multifaceted" recreational opportunities, he said, is a move that will serve Little Rock in the long term.

The Hindman golf course will close Saturday, and the War Memorial course will close July 5 after accommodating a scheduled tournament. Scott said the parks will still be cleaned and maintained after golf operations cease, and other recreational options currently available at the parks, such as the splash pad at War Memorial, will remain open.

At Tuesday's city board meeting, staff members from the Parks and Recreation Department presented envisioned possibilities for different areas of the courses, including mountain bike trails, climbing walls, a championship disc golf course, ball fields, a skate park, a dog park and an expansion of the Little Rock Zoo.

No cost estimates for any of the options are available, and final decisions have not been made -- the city is seeking input from residents. A public survey is available at littlerock.gov/parksurvey. Scott also plans to appoint a 12-member task force to develop recommendations and identify sources of potential funding.

The city's agreement with the University of Arkansas, Fayetteville allows tailgaters to park at War Memorial for Razorback games, and that will continue despite the golf course closing, Scott said last week.

Many golfers out on the greens Thursday expressed disappointment at losing the course.

"Bad. Sad," said 80-year-old Larry Griffin. "This is the best golf course for seniors around. ... First Tee doesn't cut the mustard."

First Tee, a public golf course off University Avenue where a nonprofit also teaches children life skills through golf, will remain open, as will the Rebsamen course.

Griffin is among several retirees, some of whom met through church, who play at the War Memorial course twice a week. They go out at 7:15 a.m. on Mondays and Thursdays, and they usually get back home before noon. They've had the same routine for about a decade.

Other golfers were sentimental. Some were out on the greens for the last time Thursday. Bill Bristow said he knows of some people who have had their ashes and those of their loved ones spread on the course.

He said it was "disheartening" to lose a course where the "average Joe" can play. Rebsamen has a "big man on campus" attitude, and First Tee is a "fad for rich kids," he said.

The War Memorial and Hindman courses boast lower rates than the other two courses. The weekday greens fee -- the cost of playing the course -- is $17 at War Memorial and $18 at Hindman, compared with $23 at Rebsamen. First Tee is also $23 for non-members. An annual adult membership there is $660. All four courses offer discounts for people age 55 and over.

The city offered a $325 senior membership card that allowed golfers unlimited play at War Memorial and Hindman and nine holes at Rebsamen. City Manager Bruce Moore said cardholders will be able to play the full course at Rebsamen for the remainder of the year.

Talk of closing the courses began while Rebsamen Park was under water because of flooding on the Arkansas River, but Mike Garrity, spokesman for the city's Parks and Recreation Department, said Thursday that the staff has opened the western nine holes and the driving range. The full course is expected to be open this week.

A tournament scheduled for today and Tuesday will be played, and the full course will open to the public Wednesday, Garrity said.

Some golfers said they'd play at Rebsamen, while others said Rebsamen is often crowded and that they'd seek an out-of-city alternative, such as Hot Springs Village.

"The mayor has basically asked all the Little Rock golfers to golf out of the city -- Maumelle, Cabot, Bryant," Bristow said. "The average Joe's going to have a harder time playing."

Etoyi Nelson Sr., who was having a picnic lunch in the shade at War Memorial Park with his four children Thursday, said he's open to new options.

More play areas or rides for children like those at Burns Park in North Little Rock would be nice, but he hopes War Memorial Park doesn't lose what it already offers families.

"We've got a little anxiety about it, but we're open for improvements," he said. "I know there's some mad golfers, but maybe they've got to find a new hobby."

A Section on 06/24/2019