AUGUSTA, Ga. — Fred Ridley, chairman of Augusta National Golf Club and the Masters Tournament, announced Wednesday initiatives aimed to dramatically improve public golf opportunities in the city of Augusta.
Calling it “a new era for public golf in our city,” Ridley, 70, said that Augusta National Golf Club would partner with Augusta Technical College, the First Tee of Augusta and Augusta Municipal Golf Course affectionately known as The Patch.
“We hope it will be a model for other communities,” Ridley said.
Augusta National will be involved in the planning of renovation of both The Patch and The First Tee’s property on Damascus Road.
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More about The Patch — Augusta Municipal Golf Course
Opened in 1928, Augusta Municipal Golf Course has both been popular for local golfers and faced serious issues, particularly with changing ownership and on-course struggles.
In 2008, a writer for Golf Magazine made fun of the course for having, “a green that’s as round and bald as Charlie Brown’s head.”
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A partnership among it, the First Tee and Augusta National will bolster its current work with Augusta Tech and the Double Eagle program, which puts military veterans in position to learn about golf course maintenance and enter that workforce.
Ridley’s announcement Wednesday marks a further investment in the Augusta community by Augusta National and its foundation. In early 2021, it completed a $10 million gift to transform the area around 15th Street and the Harrisburg section of the city, including a regional Boys and Girls’ Club headquarters.
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