Revamped Rockwood a huge hit in debut round

To the Fort Worth city officials and course architects involved in the $5.1 million renovation of Rockwood Park Golf Course unveiled Tuesday to a group of interested observers and media members, there is only one word to adequately sum up the situation: Thanks.

Thanks for taking a place that served for decades as a destination for high-handicap players to knock the ball around and turning it into an honest-to-goodness, top-flight municipal golf course. There is a huge difference in those two descriptions, believe me.

As someone who has been a Rockwood regular since the 1970s, Tuesday’s round unfolded unlike any other I’ve experienced at the venue. We were greeted by lush, green fairways and undulated greens covered by Bermuda grass that offered smooth-rolling putts. The par-72 venue, which plays to a scorecard maximum of 7,053 yards, now boasts 54 bunkers.

At the first hole, this exchange unfolded between cart partners in our group with long histories of playing the course before the recent renovations by course architect John Colligan, led by project architect Trey Kemp.

Golfer No. 1: “When was the last time you saw this course this green?”

Golfer No. 2: “I’ll go with, ‘Never.’”

Golfer No. 1: “Me, too. This is … different.”

The difference is night-and-day, in a very good way. Shocking stat of the day: I had to play five sand shots during Tuesday’s round because of the fresh proliferation of bunkers.

I’m not sure that I played five sand shots in any calendar year in all of my prior Rockwood rounds. The course simply didn’t feature that many options for trouble. But it does now, and water comes into play on eight of the 18 holes. Areas covered by native grasses, which offer defining sight lines and additional challenges for off-target shots, are a welcomed addition as well.

Golfers will get their first experience to play the redesigned the facility at Friday’s “soft” opening, with more than 270 confirmed tee times. Course officials expect more than 700 rounds this weekend before the official grand opening on June 30. As long as the city follows through on maintenance efforts required to keep the course in the shape it was in for Tuesday’s sneak preview, the revamped Rockwood should be a crowd-pleaser for golfers in Fort Worth and Tarrant County.

One tip for curiosity seekers: Be sure and pack your sand wedge. Unlike at the Rockwood of yesteryear, you’ll need it for the new layout.

This story was originally published June 13, 2017 at 5:10 PM with the headline "Revamped Rockwood a huge hit in debut round."