Watching the Masters tournament at Augusta National or on CBS could lead to a big boon the following week for a renovated golf course in Augusta.
The Augusta Municipal Golf Course, best known by its nickname, The Patch, is set to re-open on April 15 after a 16-month renovation process.
Photo Courtesy of Augusta National
It has been closed since April 2023. Under a partnership with the Augusta National Golf Club (ANGC), Augusta Technical College, The First Tee of Augusta, and Masters Tournament Charities, the 18-hole course has undergone a major renovation.
The announcement of its re-opening included the new fee structure. Former Augusta Commissioner Sean Frantom told ABD that commissioners were concerned about the course remaining affordable for all golfers.
“That was the concern of the community, that they were going to transform this golf course into a beautiful, new jewel, but it wouldn’t be affordable for the locals, and they, by far, exceeded the expectations by the rates that they dropped,” said Frantom. “I don’t think anybody anticipated those rates. They’re close to what we said, but we were a few dollars more when we had the discussions.”
The lowest rate of $25.00 is Monday through Thursday for an 18-hole round. Friday through Sunday and holidays increase to $35.00. The rates are available to residents of Richmond, Columbia, McDuffie, Jefferson, and Burke Counties in Georgia, as well as Edgefield and Aiken Counties in South Carolina. Active-duty members of the U.S. armed services are also eligible for the local resident rate.
Frantom is currently the Manager of Sales and Community Engagement at Topgolf off Riverwatch Parkway. He anticipates the reopening may boost golf-based tourism and spark interest in what the business can provide.
“I think that we become the night aspect of people that are going to travel here to play this golf course, because to have the marketing behind it that they have, there’s going to be people that travel here to play this golf course,” he explained. “And I think with Toptracer technology that’s even used by Augusta National now, it’s a perfect marriage there, too. So, I do think there’ll be some ramifications to help the business.”
It will also mark the return of a program targeting children, with First Tee of Augusta bringing its program back to the course beginning May first.
“They haven’t been able to play for 16 months, and people been looking for outlets to grow the game for the kids,” Frantom said. “That facility, I saw a video of it, this is going to be amazing for them. They do so much in growing the game of golf in Augusta, in the region.”
The course will provide more than recreation for players and instruction for young golfers; it will fill an educational role for Augusta Tech.
As an off-campus instructional site, The Patch will be the home for the Golf Course Management Program, including golf course management, golf course technician, and horticulture.
It will also be the home for a program between Augusta Tech and the Warrior Alliance’s Operation Double Eagle. It will train individuals to use skills learned in military service to build new careers in the golf, landscape, and turf industries.
The Patch will offer more than the traditional 18-hole golf course. A nine-hole short course called The Loop at The Patch has been added. Five-time Masters champion Tiger Woods designed the short course. The rate to play The Loop will be $15.00 a day for local residents.
There will be a soft opening in mid-March for local community groups and high school teams. The course will be used for private hospitality functions during Masters Week, with full reopening the following week.
Frantom expects to see a crowd.
“I mean, there’s going to be a significant line of people to go lineup, to play this golf course because it is going to be one of the top public golf courses in the country,” he advised.
More information about the facility, including a gallery of photos giving a sneak peek of what to expect, is at www.GolfThePatch.com.
