Lush, green grass awaits players again at Helfrich Hills Golf Course after restoration

EVANSVILLE — The West Side was missing part of itself.

That’s how those described not having Helfrich Hills Golf Course. A series of events left all 19 greens, including the practice green, on a 6,300-yard layout unplayable. It required a months-long project that left the course feeling empty during the fall season.

It’s now inching closer to complete restoration thanks to a recent milestone.

After using temporary pins since September, Helfrich opened its greens to play on April 1. There is still more work to be done, according to course golf professional Dave McAtee. But reaching this point was important.

“It’s been a long road,” said McAtee. “Very pleased with where we are right now. It was important for (players) to get back on the greens as soon as we could without doing it too soon.”

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Let's recap how Helfrich, celebrating its 100th year in 2023, got in this dire position.

'One thing after another' led to Helfrich Golf Course facelift

Although the irrigation system was winterized, a backflow preventer was filled with water last year. Supply chain issues caused a delay in ordering proper parts. Next came a heat wave in May, and later a summer drought. Then a hydraulic pump, estimated to have been 27 years old, stopped working.

It left the grass on every green damaged. The heat caused them to turn brown or patchy. The bunkers were in bad shape. Still, Helfrich hosted a City Tournament qualifier, only for competitors to find it difficult to play — complaints were made known. The opening rounds were both held at Fendrich two weeks later.

Playing fees were reduced to $10 for 18 holes with temporary pins placed in front of the green.

“It was one thing after another,” Evansville Deputy Mayor Steve Schaefer told the Courier & Press in October. “It was basically months where zero irrigation was able to be used. We were borrowing water trucks. The irrigation system is the lifeblood of a course."

Previously: Helfrich Golf Course trying to repair damage, rebuild for 100th anniversary

The restoration process began in September. Helfrich closed for five days as all 19 greens were re-seeded. McAtee said those at the course did much of the work themselves. An outside contractor was brought in with a slit-seeder, a machine that slits the ground and drops seeds in the cracks to give them deeper contact with the soil.

McAtee estimated the entire process cost around $12,000, perhaps slightly more. He noted the "silver lining" in this was seeding every green with new hybrid grass.

Since reopening last week, Helfrich has received minimal complaints. The course had 137 players that Sunday, then a healthy stream of others over the following days when the weather cooperated. Some greens, such as the 1st and 17th, took to the new seed better due to their location on the course.

With new grass, there are still a few bumps and thick patches. Helfrich will continue to top dress and fertilize before true mowing and rolling can be done. Considering where it stood in July and the course is counting its blessing with the progress.

“It’s taking really well,” said McAtee. “As it gets warmer, it will be better and better. Not perfect yet but getting there. Very few complaints. Most who are playing Helfrich right now are long-standing players. They’re really itching to get back out there."

Helfrich Golf Course reopening is good news for local high school teams

Helfrich is also an important course at the high school level. Central, Mater Dei and Reitz all call it their home during the season.

Last fall, those schools' girls golf programs had to go elsewhere.

Mater Dei coach Gabe Rohleder said his team did more swing work than normal at Walther’s Driving Range. The Wildcats split their time between Fendrich and McDonald when on the course, playing more at the former.

Rohleder was appreciative of the accommodations at the other courses considering the circumstances. But Helfrich is home. All three schools' boys teams have played nine-hole matches at the course over the past week.

“It left a hole on the West Side not having this place available,” said Rohleder. “To have lush, green grass growing at this point of the year is huge. They restarted from scratch. It’s going to be amazing to have this place back for the rest of the year.”

It's also ideal for these programs to practice at Helfrich. Among the city's three public courses, it features more terrain and elevation changes. Helfrich also traditionally involves more difficult scoring that, in theory, helps when the postseason arrives.

The course is scheduled to host the IHSAA boys golf sectional again in June.

“There were all kinds of rumors,” said Rohleder. “It was bleak. Helfrich is an amazing asset. It is unlike the rest of the golf courses. There’s not a better place to learn to play in Evansville. It’s exactly what our guys need.”

Follow Courier & Press sports reporter Kyle Sokeland on Twitter @kylesokeland.

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Helfrich Hills Golf Course reopens after months-long restoration work