by Jody Spear and Kelly Meyer –
Men and women and even a couple robins were out enjoying the summer-like day in March at The Highland Park Golf Course Thursday. The course opened for the season due to the unseasonably warm and dry conditions.
Just finishing up their round, a brother and sister team, Amanda and Michael Moritz (pictured) were heading up to the club house. “It’s nice being outside, with the weather this good,” Amanda said. “This is our first time playing the course. The score wasn’t so good, but the fun was.”
Avoiding the sandtrap on hole 4, Mark Cory was practicing his putting, “Good thing I had taken the day off work,” from Curries Manufacturing, “or I’d be caught cheating,” he said with a chuckle and smile.
Mike Duda and a friend were finishing up golfing for the day, “Our game went good,” said Duda. “For the middle of March the course is in really good shape. They did a really good job,” he said looking over the course while putting his clubs away.
While riding around in our golf cart, we noticed there were a couple men that decided to walk the course. “Real men walk,” laughed Stu Parr (pictured). “Thank God for Ibuprofen and heating pads for the achy muscles we’ll be feeling tomorrow. It’s just really good to get out here early in the season. When it gets into full bloom it will be great.” He added, “There’s a lot of history on this golf course. Many big name athletes, men and women, have played here.”
“Many people don’t have the time to play a four and a half hour game anymore, so they came up with the five hole green. It takes less time, so people can find the time to play,” Parr continued. “There’s a new President for the Men’s Club,” said Parr. “His name is Darrell Newman. He’s bringing in new ideas and he’s going to shake things up.”
Parr is also interested in establishing a Mason City Golf Hall of Fame.
Highland Park was established in 1956 and is a municipal golf course operated by the Mason City Parks and Recreation Board.
The Manager, John E. Pritchard, a Class A-PGA Professional, said in the Highland Park Golf Course Handbook, “On behalf of myself and the staff in the Golf Shop, we hope you enjoy your golf at Highland Park. If there is ever anything we can do to make your golf more enjoyable, please feel free to ask the staff or myself. Thank you for allowing us to serve you and good luck in 2012.”
Each week Highland offers events (see schedule). There are two “super stag” events each year. These are blind draw, A-B-C-D players, 4-player best shot, shotgun start outings on the front nine, followed by dinner and a club meeting.
The Men’s Club is a group that gets together on Wednesday afternoons from late April through August to play golf. The Club has reserved tee time each week from 1:00 to 5:00 p.m. on alternating nines.
There is also a Highland Ladies Golf Club. They will have their opening coffee at 7:00 p.m. on April 19 at the Highland Park Club House. They will discuss the coming year’s activites and sign up for tee times. The Ladies play on Thursdays from April 26-September 20. The reserved tee times for Ladies Club are from 4:00 pm to 5:15 pm. Dessert and coffee are served weekly beginning at 6:45 pm and announcements or a short meeting to follow. Weekly prizes will be announced and then the meeting is adjourned to Bingo or card games. There will be four mixers during the course of the year.
The golf course is comprised of two very distinct nines. The par for eighteen holes is 72 with total yardage of approximately 6,200 yards. The front nine is the older of the two nines measuring 2,950 yards and has large greens with tight, tree lined fairways. The back nine was constructed in the mid 1960’s, measures 3,250 yards and has large greens with long and fairly open fairways. Both nines have automatic watering systems with some of the best putting surfaces in the area.
See schedule for Highland Park Men’s & Ladies Tournament and Early Bird Schedule Details. If you would like further information on fees, motor cart rates or rentals, tee times, Junior Golf League, Junior Tournaments Schedules or course rules, call John E. Pritchard at 641-423-9693.
This is what I like to read at NIT.Local stories that the Globe doesn’t do.Keep up the good work.
Great story! A Lot of my friends golf, and I used to read about golf results in the GG but I guess they stopped reporting it. Thanks NIT keep up the great reporting/ articles!