After putting in thousands of hours in volunteer labor and contributing a million dollars in donated materials over a 3 1/2-year period, members of the Back-Nine Committee and numerous other volunteers are awaiting "tee off time" on the back nine addition to the Roosevelt Municipal Golf Course.
The official grand opening of the is set for Friday, May 20. Former Utah Gov. Calvin Rampton, who opened the first nine holes at the course 20 years ago, will cut the ribbon for the back nine holes as well. Lt. Gov. Olene Walker also will be on hand. A four-man scramble tournament will also mark the event.The Bureau of Outdoor Recreation put up half the money with the community and Roosevelt City coming up with the remainder of the funds when the first nine holes were constructed. Local golf enthusiasts had always dreamed of an 18-hole course, but for a city of only 4,000 it always appeared to be an impossible undertaking.
However, in 1989, at the urging of the area's golfing public, the Roosevelt City Council was able to get enough land adjoining the present golf course to build another nine holes. Even at that time it appeared such an expansion project was unrealistic, particularly in the face of a revenue slump due in part to the sluggish oil industry.
When the Back Nine Committee was formed in 1990 to study the feasibility of building a back nine, it was obvious the project would cost at least $1.5 million.
When actual construction on the course got under way in December 1991, committee members had determined they could make the project go with a minimum of $500,000 in cash to buy such items as sprinklers, grass seed, fertilizer and pumps. The rest of the money, they determined, would have to come as volunteer labor and donated materials.
Local businesses offered free use of their heavy equipment, committee members and numerous volunteers worked daily on the course. The city and Duchesne County also provided labor and equipment during construction. Roosevelt businessman Gordon Harmston Jr. and the Back-Nine Committee designed the course and a local paving contractor put in 7,000 feet of 8-foot cart paths at a cost that was less than 50 percent of normal.
"It was an overall amazing project with cooperation in all areas of construction and never any quarrels or backbiting," Brad Hancock, Roosevelt city administrator, said of the effort.
Not until April 1992 were the Back Nine Committee and Roosevelt City leaders able to secure a $375,000 grant and $125,000 low-interest loan from the Community Impact Board. The city donated $90,000 raised through the sale of homesites along the back nine.
"The finished back nine and practice green will require no additional construction, just tender loving maintenance that the back-nine committee will make sure it gets," said Hancock.
"The city has gained a valuable asset that would be valued at over $2 million and will have a repayment of just $125,000 at 3 percent over the next 20 years. It will also be a great economic benefit to our area!"
The course will open for public play Saturday.