A new chapter in the storied history of the Parkes Golf Club (PGC) is about to be written with construction set to start on the course's redesign - and with lockdown restrictions easing there is no better time to remember the past by squeezing in a round this weekend.
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The farewell to the old course will see a 4BBB played on the Saturday, sponsored by Jake O'Brien and ProKonnect and on Sunday an 18 hole stroke event will take place - sponsored by Archwell Constructions, Drag and Drives and Riall Harrison Building Services.
The free (yes, you read that right) redesign of the course came about due to the new Parkes Bypass of the Newell Highway running directly adjacent to the western boundary, with Transport for NSW footing the bill to keep motorists and golfers safe.
Pleasingly for golfers, the redesign will increase the par of the course to 72, which will give the club the opportunity to apply for Championship events.
PGC president Mark Kelly told the Parkes Champion Post in August that it would be a super exciting time for the club, with golfers set to get a much better playing experience.
"The layout is probably a little bit better, and pleasingly we are going to get 10 new greens to replace the ones which were originally built between 1969-1972," said Kelly.
Construction, which will be in seven stages, will begin straight after the Parkes Open in September, with Kelly hoping to see it completed by the end of March.
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COVID has meant the Parkes Open had to be cancelled, which was a huge blow for the club given it can't be rescheduled, but Kelly says the positive has been more people have taken to the course in lockdown.
"The COVID lockdown for playing golf has been brilliant, the numbers have been huge the last few weeks and there is plenty of social golf happening too.
"But obviously the clubhouse had to be closed and we lost about 30 per cent of our business, and even with getting a government grant for that lost business it'll be fantastic when we can get back to normal," said Kelly.
Pushing that aside, Kelly said there will be plenty to look forward to at the club over the next few months.
"It's really exciting time for the club we really ramp up now ahead of summer social golf.
"In four weeks we will start the Super Sixes as well, which is a 9-hole comp where anyone can put a team in of up to 10 players and play for big weekly and overall prizes.
"Last year I think we had around 2200 rounds played so it was hugely successful," said Kelly.
For now though, it is time to reflect on the proud history of the club, and get pumped about the new future of the PGC, and what a time it is to be alive!
Kelly said that this weekend will be the perfect time to get a round in before works get underway on September 27.
"The next few months will be about remembering the old course; we won't have the full course as it will play until March or April next year," he said.
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