Golfers in Contra Costa County and beyond have a new 18 hole golf course to play at as Shadow Lakes Golf Course in Brentwood has reopened. The course is taking tee times beginning Wednesday October 17.
After closing in 2018, JC Golf announced it would reopen in May of 2021 with first a driving range and 9 holes, followed by an additional 9-holes at a later date. On Tuesday, golfers now have a full 18 hole public golf course.
To honor the significant investment and undertaking to reopen the course, prior to the shotgun round of golf, the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce held a ribbon cutting ceremony. Golfers then took off to play the course.
John McNair, Chief Operating Officer of JC Golf Resorts, explained over the past 18 months they have worked to get to a full facility of a range, putting green and a full 18 holes of golf at Shadow Lakes.
He highlighted the course will have the same footprint in terms of route, but did make a few changes to the course by removing 10 sand traps that they believe made it difficult for the “average golfer” to play. The course was also softened up by removing some of the bunkers, reduce the size of other bunkers to improve play-ability. Some of the tee lengths were also reduced to make it a shorter course. Since the greens are sloped, they worked to ensure the green speed was not like what you see on TV and not to fast. The greens are barracuda and the fairways are tiff-tough Bermuda grass.
“We did this for a couple reasons. Number one, pace of play and number two was for pure enjoyment for golfers to have a more playable round of golf for all levels of golfers whether you are scratch golfer or a +25,” explained McNair. “Pace of play was very important. It was the number one reason we got rid of the bunkers because they were deep and it may take one or two strokes to get out, that slows down pace of play and wasn’t fair to the golfer.”
He added the changes were done in a way to not really change the look and feel of the course but factor in less maintenance for the workers and more time for golfers to have a better product to play on. Renovation on the new 9-holes was started May 1 and the greens seeded around May 21 which is a quick turnaround. While the grass went down the first week of June.
At a time when golf courses are closing, Shadow Lakes Golf Course reopened which they believe in the end with the product they created that they will have some of the best conditions around in the area.
“The greens already are excellent. They are perfect and ready to play,” said McNair.
McNair added they want to be apart of the community and for this to be their home course from the driving range on grass three days a week to a scenic and playable golf course. The course is a public golf course and offer memberships for the more frequent golfers. The course is open to the public and anyone can come.
Denise Duran, President of the Brentwood Chamber of Commerce, called the facility beautiful and was thankful Brentwood has another golf course again.
“We have a beautiful golf course and it’s been waiting for you and we are so thankful as a business community, a residential community and a community that loves being outdoors and being active that this group came in and said lets make this work and lets give this back,” said Duran. “For all the work John and his team put in, I want all of you to do our work to show them consistency that we are here to stay just like we want them to come and stay.”
City Manager Tim Ogden said when he was first hired, the course was not open and they kept receiving complaints about the course and was pessimistic it would ever reopen again.
“We are excited not only to see the 9 holes open for a year, now the 18 holes opening up we hope people spend their time here. We are just excited to have JC Resorts spend as much time on this course as they did,” said Ogden. “Brentwood is better for having this golf course reopened.”
Source: Contra Costa News
