The City of Devine has taken the first step toward repairing damaged greens on the front 9 of the Municipal Golf Course after selecting Colligan Golf Design to submit proposals for the project.
Golf Course Superintendent Ruben Chapa informed City Council during the June 25 Council meeting that both Colligan Golf Design and Jeffrey D. Blume, Limited were recommended by USGA Agronomist John Daniels, and that both Blume and John Colligan had visited the golf course.
“John Colligan impressed me the most,” Chapa said. “He came by, and just his ideas, just by looking at the course and where he could redesign what we have in place right now.”
The greens were repaired incorrectly during the Devine Golf Association’s stewardship of the course, and have been the object of persistent complaint since the City took over in July 2018.
“Just by looking at the greens real quick, [Colligan] told us what everybody says – the drainage right now on them is not where it should be,” Chapa said. “Where they can take it to, their ideas plus what we put in, I think it’ll be a win-win situation.”
District 5 Councilman Cory Thompson asked for clarification on the scope of the project.
“Are we having them redesign the entire course, or just the greens that need to be fixed?” Thompson asked.
Chapa replied it was just for seven damaged greens, but that he could ask Colligan to present an alternate bid that included fixing nine.
“[Chapa] has to go back to whoever Council selects and let them know, because the next step is bringing the design and the cost to Council,” Interim City Administrator Dora Rodriguez said. “So it’s what y’all want him to get for y’all.”
A motion from District 4 Councilwoman Jennifer Schott and District 3 Councilman David Espinosa to select Colligan Golf Design to provide one bid for the redesign of seven greens, and a second bid for the redesign of nine greens, passed unanimously with support from District 1 Councilman David Valdez, District 2 Councilman Steve Lopez, and Thompson.
By Marly Davis
Staff Writer