Papago Golf Course, a municipally owned golf course in Phoenix, recently reopened for public play following an extensive renovation project that began in April 2008.
Marvin French of The Golf Guys, LLC, and golf course architect Billy Fuller, former superintendent at August National, oversaw the $9.75 million project, which was a joint venture of the City of Phoenix and the Arizona Golf Association.
The renovation included installation of a new irrigation system, reshaping of bunkers, removal of tress, and re-grassing of the course’s greens, tees, fairways and rough. Approximately 350 yards were added to the course, which now plays between 5,300 and 7,400 yards from five sets of tees. Golf industry veteran Al Murdock has been hired to oversee day-to-day operation of the newly designed course.
First opened in 1963, Papago Golf Course was originally designed by famous golf course architect William Francis Bell and was host of the 1971 U.S. Amateur Public Links Championship.