Proposals for a renovation at the Mooresville Golf Course have been heard by a board of commissioners.

The course in North Carolina, US, is owned by the town of Mooresville, and the Mooresville Board of Commissioners requested a golf course study at its annual retreat in February.

Kris Spence, president of Spence Golf Design, laid out his proposal at a board meeting, claiming that a US$4.3 million restoration would bring the course back to its former glory.

Designed by Donald Ross in 1948, Mooresville Golf Course has slipped towards a less than favourable state in recent times. Spence specified issues such as poor drainage on greens, bunkers and parts of the fairways. Other issues highlighted were out-of-date grass varieties, uneven grades, and small, poorly aligned tees. Spence also highlighted the fact that irrigation system improvements can be made, and that training facilities are not up to standard.

Among the renovation plans outlined by Spence are the reconstruction of all green, tee areas, bunkers and fairways, as well as installing 419 Hybrid Bermuda grass across the course. With drainage a course-wide issue, Spence also highlighted the proposed installation of a new irrigation system, with pump house, transfer station and fairway drainage.

Other recommendations outlined by Spence are to build a practice facility to the left of the tenth hole, lay concrete cart paths and remove an existing pond to extend the golfing area.

Proposals such as this, for courses that are publicly owned, are often dependent on the support of the community before any money is invested. Spence outlined less costly alternative renovations to bring the course up to a modern standard, and now the decision as to what the next step to take is falls into the hands of the board of commissioners and, to a degree, the local community of Mooresville.