https://johnsonvilleschistory.org/files/original/974f8cd7404311ebb236a20c66a387a3.pdf abcfef3502c7d54d85654a517dfb3903 PDF Text Text Country Club Enters final Construction Stage Construction of the second and final phase of the 1/2 million dollar Johnsonville Country Club is under way and is expected to be completed by early spring. When completed the 220-acre course which includes a $50,000 club house, the course will have seven natural fed water holes which total 22 acres of wate'r, 33 sand traps, and a green which could require a 194-foot putt. The club house and golf course began with phase one of a two phase program in 1965 which was opened in June of 1966. Phase one consisted of nearly half of the club house being built and nine of the eighteen hole golf course constructed. Additional rooms and the construction of the last nine holes and the installation of an automatic watering system were to be completed in phase II. A goal for a country club was ;) set five years ago when a group of business men banded together to build a golf facility for the town of Johnsonville and surrounding communities. The goal projected was not to just obtain another golf course but to build one of the finest golf most comple te o n the final nine holes . Al le n Grier of Grie r courses in South Carolina and to compliment the course with modBr other s Construc tion Company holds the plans ·and looks on. ern club house. Grier Br othe r s Construction i s building the addition on the In keeping with their goal, the present Club House which will double the size of the present services of Ellls Maple, one of structure. (P hoto by Todd Scarborough) the best golf architects in the world, was employed to lay out the golf course. The club house and eighteen hole course were surveyed and drawn to scale on the Wellman farm, which Maples considered a natural location because of the rolling hills, available space, and a stream that ran through the property. Leaders of the group applied for and was granted a $120,000 loan from the Federal Government. Because of the large capital out:-lay the plan was divided into the two phases. The first phase to be completed in 1966 and the second phase to be completed at a later time. ....... P HASE II UNDEH CO!'\STHL.CTIO:\ - - Phase II ofti- -Johns onville Country Club is now under construction. \ hen the 1/2 million dollar Country Club is completed it wi ll )e equa l to the best in South Carolina . The course is expecte to offer a r eal c hallenge to a ll golfers . Leonard Drake, P ro at the Johnsonville Country Club, points to where construction is a l- Leonard Drake, a Johnsonville resident, who at the age of 14 was an assistant pro, was chosen to over-see construction and be the first Pro. Having experience in golf course construction Drake was able to create the course exactly as Maples had mapped the entire course. Almost half the club house and the first nine holes were opened for use on June 27, 1966. Mr. Wellman of the Wellman Industrial complex in Johnsonville, loaned an additional $55,000 to the project to further construction of the course and club house. Provisions in the Federal loan prohibited further expansion of the club house or additional work on the last nine holes until some time in the distant future. For a tim~ it appeared that construction of phase II would not be realized for many years. But when the task appeared impossible the Wellmans retired the Federal loan and provided additional money to complete phase II of the Johnsonville Country Club. A $90,000 automatic watering system will be installed before spring. The system, which is the most advanced in the golf world, will be operated by clocks that are pre set. Again when the clocks reach a predetermined time they will stop the water flow and pressure will drop causing the sprinkler to settle flush with the ground. The system will be completely automatic but it will llave manual over rides to stop or start the water when it is desired. One of the advantages of the system according to Drake is that water pipes will not have to be set up each time ''. . • we want to water the C'ourse" . He indicates this would reduce possible dam· age to the gn.·ens which occur on some courses using the manual s ystem for watering. "Also," lie continued, "we can keep the gr~1ss in better condition by applying an adequate amount of water," on the grass at all times providing a constant growth of grass and reducing the possibility of brown spots from dying grass. The 5,800 square foot Club House will have a 1,600 square foot ball room when phase two is completed. The ballroom will feature a changeable floor surface. A rem:>vable carpet will be in place for most occasions, but it can be rolled up and removed in less than an hour for occasions requiring hardwood floors. Adjacent to the ballroom, but elevated above the ballroom floor, a lounge will be built. Persons in the lounge will have a view over the ballroom. The Club House is to have a 12 foot patio extending toward the golf course. Tables and chairs will be placed on the patio which will be covered by the Club House roof. A kitchen will be built in the new portion and will be supplied with the latest in kitchen equipment. These facilities will be added to the already plush Pro shop, Bar and locker rooms. Turning toward the course Drake said, "We may soon have the longest number 2 hole in the world." Beaver Lake, North Carolina ·now has the longest number 2 hole, which is 636 yards. The number 2 hole at Johnsonville is 600 yards and consideration is being given to the idea of increasing it to 652 yards: If this is done the number 2 hole at the Johnsonville Country Club will be . the longest in the world. Hole number 13 is comparable to the number 13 hole inSouthern Pines which is recognized as the best on any course. Maples designed the number 13 hole in Southern Pines. Walking back to the Club House Drake commented, "When we finish we will have a course which is equal to or superior to any course in South Carol ina." � Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource News Articles Subject The topic of the resource Newspaper and magazine articles. Dublin Core The Dublin Core metadata element set is common to all Omeka records, including items, files, and collections. For more information see, http://dublincore.org/documents/dces/. Title A name given to the resource Country Club Enters Final Construction Stage - 1969 Description An account of the resource From the short lived Times of Three Towns newspaper - article discusses the completion of the Wellman Club. Date A point or period of time associated with an event in the lifecycle of the resource 3-13-1969 Creator An entity primarily responsible for making the resource Times of Three Towns