Jeff Brandau lives near Topeka Public Golf Course and plays it two to three times a week.
"It's still a mess," he said after tapping in on No. 15 Monday afternoon, "but it's still a nice course."
Seven of the course's holes were torn apart for several weeks as a Shawnee County sewer line replacement project cut through the course. Some of the holes were closed for a while during the construction project.
The $750,000 project, financed by the Sherwood Regional Sewer Treatment District and constructed by the Shawnee County public works department, began April 1 and should be finished sometime late this week, said county public works director Lynn Couch.
He said the damaged grass would be replaced with new sod this week.
"We're putting a gravity sewer across the golf course because we have some overloaded pump stations on the west side of the golf course," Couch said. "I know the city did not want us to go through the course, but truly there was no other way to do that."
The course has remained open during construction, which hurt the quality of play. Holes 4, 5, 8, 10, 11, 14 and 18 were torn up in some way.
None of the greens was affected by the construction, but portions of the course's tee boxes and fairways were ripped up. Pieces of heavy machinery stood in the fairways on several holes, as well.
The sewer line runs from the southeast corner of the course to the northwest corner. Most of the sewer line appears to be installed.
Ruth Maus, public information officer for the city, said all parties involved with Topeka Public were eagerly awaiting the construction's completion. The city plans to announce results from the construction at the mayor's news conference next week, including financial figures on the economic impact the construction had on the course.
"We're so proud of the golf course, and we know it's popular, so we want this to get over with soon," Maus said.
Some golfers have avoided Topeka Public during the sewer project, but others, like Richie Woltkamp, have enjoyed less company on the golf course. He saw only six cars in the parking lot Monday when he arrived with his friend, Dave Petty.
"It didn't bother me a bit," Woltkamp said.
Lake Shawnee Golf Course has had a good spring, but it is difficult to tell if it is because of the problems at Topeka Public.
"It's really hard to tell if it's had any impact," said Steve Jablonowski, the PGA Professional at Lake Shawnee Golf Course. "We have made so many positive changes, including reduction in prices, that we think that probably is a majority of the reason. Our first quarter rounds for January through March are up 10 percent, as well."
Torrey Head, owner of Western Hills Golf Course, said Western Hills had a much better April than in the previous year.
"The weather has had a lot to do with it, but I think you definitely have to say the Topeka Public situation is a possibility for why we did better business," he said.
Source: The Topeka (Kansas) Capital-Journal