The city of Owensboro is planning a $1.8 million replacement of the irrigation system at Ben Hawes Golf Course, with the hope of having the work done by the spring of 2023.
The deadline for contractors to send proposals to the city was last week, and city officials are examining two bids.
The city’s projects lists says a golf course irrigation consultant has already prepared the design specifications for the project.
City parks director Amanda Rogers said the newest parts of the existing irrigation system are more than 20 years old. Storm damage also shortened the life of the existing system, Rogers said.
“It is a replacement of our existing system that the hardware dates back to 2000 and pipe dates back to the mid-1980s,” Rogers wrote in an email. “We had hoped to hold onto the existing system for another few years under our replacement plan, but a lightning strike last fall pushed the timeline up when it destroyed our control board.”
Replacement parts for the control system are no longer on the market, Rogers said.
“We had a backup board, but it doesn’t function properly all the time, and given the age of the existing system there are no available parts anymore,” she said. “It’s like trying to find parts for a 1999 computer, they just don’t exist anymore because the technology has changed so much in 20 years.”
The system will cover 200 acres, including the 18-hole and nine-hole golf courses, putting green, driving range and other areas, Rogers said.
The summer weather was hard on the course and irrigation was difficult, she said.
Conditions on the golf course “drive play and revenue,” Rogers said. “Kentucky is in the transition zone, so we end up with cool weather grasses and warm weather grasses, and neither like extreme temperatures. Our biggest challenge during the season — especially this last summer with all the heat — is keeping our putting surfaces green and playable.
“We had to do a lot of hand watering for our greens to keep them playable in the heat. We currently have 30 greens on site, and this is labor intensive without a properly functioning irrigation system. Our greens superintendent and his assistant logged quite a few 12-hour days keeping the course playable.”
When asked if the work would be complete by summer of next year, Rogers said: “Realistically, with the supply chain issues, we are looking at Fall of 2023. It also needs to be timed so it doesn’t disrupt play, given how busy we are during peak times.”
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