Published: June 04, 2008 08:43 pm      

Back in the swing of things

Burnside Island golf course re-opends after major upgrade

Golfers will finally be able to play a few rounds on the revamped golf course at General Burnside Island State Park —with a few changes — after it was closed 18 months for renovations.

On Wednesday, local and state leaders celebrated the grand opening of the course, which joins seven other courses in the state as a State Park Signature Series course.

“This redesigned golf course and new practice facility ... will be fun and challenging for all levels of golfers,” said Kentucky Commerce Cabinet Secretary Marcheta Sparrow during the event.

The State Park Signature Series consists of seven courses located in all corners of the state — including Dale Hollow Lake in Burkesville, Grayson Lake in Olive Hill, Kentucky Dam Village in Gilbertsville, Lake Barkley in Cadiz, Mineral Mound in Eddyville, Pine Mountain in Pineville and Yatesville Lake in Louisa.

Sparrow also said the course — which will feature parts nearly unrecognizable to golfers who frequented the course in the past — will help bring in more revenue for an area that is largely dependent on tourism.

“We have high expectations for the future of this golf course,” Sparrow said.

Also in attendance was Senator Vernie McGaha, who agreed with Sparrow that the course — which saw 125 rounds of golf played every day during the first week it reopened — will help bring even more people to the area than before.

“This area receives so much of its revenue through tourism ... this course will definitely be a thrust for tourism.”

Brian Ault, the course’s architect, designed other reputable state park golf courses such as Dale Hollow in western Kentucky and Hidden Cove at Grayson Lake in eastern Kentucky.

“We walked the walk for almost a year” in order to plan the course and to “boldly go where no golf balls have gone before,” Ault said.

The 71-par course features bent grass trees, greens and sodded zoysia grass fairways along with four sets of tees ranging from 5,036 to 6,394 yards. The course also features several holes that overlook Lake Cumberland and the surrounding wooded areas.

Season passes are available for sale at the course and give players full access to all 19 Kentucky State Parks Golf Trail courses, including four that have been ranked nationally by Golf Digest. Local patrons who purchased a 2006 season pass will receive a pro-rated credit upon purchasing their season pass for the 2008.

Green fees during the week are $37.75 and $42.75 on the weekends including golf car.

Tees and Zzzs golf packages are available with lodging at nearby Cumberland Falls State Resort Park.

More information about General Burnside Island Golf Course and golf packages can be found at www.parks.ky.gov or by calling the course at 606-561-4104.