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Home My WebLink About2014 02-07 Maplewood's historic Keller Golf Course reopens doors STAR TRIBUNE �StarTribune Maplewood's historic Keller ,�- � � �. ,� ,. Golf Course reopens doors �. � _i '�� Article by:Jim Anderson � p�,, ,�� `� Star Tribune °�� ' � ° ; � ` ,� , �.� }�(` �� February 7,2014-12:28 AM ` �� These are the times that try golfers'souls,when - winter,to use the parlance of their passion, has reached the back nine.The days are inching T�e new aar�n the r,�s�oric ara popuiar tteiier longer,yet spring,and tantalizing visions of green, Golf Course and clubhouse. ef@ Stlll 8 IO�g Way Off. GLEN STUE3BE•gstubbe�startribune com, ��`� �" -,;, ��d ,�,��r' ,��r,�: The wait has been especially long and trying for ��,� golfers who love the historic and popular Keller f� � ` Golf Course in Maplewood,owned by Ramsey ` .�'' ' ` �.,r,;,,' ` �,,, County and closed all of last season for a$12.2 '� l,'�.��C�,� million renovation that began in the fall of 2012. �� .� � � `� �'�,�`��A�E�p�� i r-r-,.�- I�: y,, I The historic clubhouse dating to 1929 was razed, �� *� �� ,��, too far gone for renovation.The new building,with W�� ; ��; � a design paying homage to Keller's rich past but -� �-��-. i `� featuring updates that promise to help it endure care voas rakc;n ro ma�e tn�„ew c�uono�se for decades, is now finished and open for events. ��miiar to tne oid ore wnich was tom down �ue to ret and a�ai�ing toundation. An open house is set for Feb.23. Whotos bv GI_EN STUBEE• ��r.,;;.�.F , ,. Golfers,though,will have to be patient for a few more months.The course,complete with new �� bunkers,tees,greens,cart paths and an irrigation �� "�� system,isn't scheduled to reo en until June 28. '°`�,��'��'�'� P �..�-....--,._«�.-— �s; # µ New grass was planted by autumn last year. But �� ',� �`�"�'�°� �� even after the snow melts, it will still need several ��. " ' ^� g ' .� weeks to establish itself to withstand heavy foot ,��;� '�� , � � � � � �^� ; �� `� and golf cart traffic,said Allison Winters, �� {� � spokeswoman for the Ramsey County Parks& '�`�''" �`�" ��= ��r��°�'��° �� ` ReCfe2tlOn Dep2rtment. �,:°originai fireoia�e from the 192�clubhouse on the grounds of the historic and popuiar K�Her Goif Course. "Actually,this blanket of snow is pretty good for it,"she said Thursday, looking out from the G�Er�sTU��F•�,sr,;rnenrtr-rr��ur,e co�r� clubhouse banquet room,with its wood-beamed ~ �$ ceilings mindful of those at Scottish links courses. '° J`, . "The county is very committed to not opening too �-� �3� �` f� early.We've seen it happen before at other Twin ,;� Cities golf courses where they have been opened � �' too early,they're not ready for the traffic,and then � ' >.i �` they have to close and dump money back into it to °�>` ( � ��,�� LL v�� 3 � .. make repairs.When you spend this much money - :-r� �;,;� on a project,you don't want to have to go back The originai�929 com2rstone was pr�serv��d and d0 it agaln." on one side of the main entrance.whiie a new 20`�3 stone is on[he oiher side. While the course was completely renovated,only Feed�oader. six of the 18 holes were actually realigned,partly with the aim of having tee boxes closer to the clubhouse. "[The designersj tried not to do anything too drastic,"Winters said."We wanted to remain true to Keller." � The course is one of the state's most historic �� sports venues. Virtually every notable golfer from the 1930s through the 1960s played Keller when it was a regular stop on both the men's and women's professional tours, including the annual St. Paul Open that ran from 1930 to 1968. In the 1940s, it was one of the few PGA events in * The historic and popular Ke(ter Golf Course which blacks were allowed to compete. In 1932, and clubhouse; closed ail of last year due to Olin Dutra became the �rst His anic to win the undergoing a S12 million overhaul by Ramsey P County, is poisetl to reopen in mid-June. The National PGA Championship when the event was clubhouse, located in Maplewood, opens this held there, earning one of the most dominant even tsas a venue for wedd�ngs and otr,er victories in the tournamenYs history. Dutra played f-eed Loader. 196 holes over the six days and was 19-under- par. ! keller golf course Boxing great Joe Louis golfed there as an ' The newiy renovated ►ceuer Goif Course amateur, and notorious gangsters in the 1930s Clubhouse, 2166 Maplewood Dc, Maplewood, is now open for business, also found Keller a nice place to relax. Legend but golfers will nave to be patient for a has it that as John Dillinger was playing the third few more months. The course isn't scheduled to open for play until June 28. � hole one day, he saw FBI agents approaching his In the meantime, several coming events group. He jumped a nearby fence and hopped a win ofter the flrst pubiic giimpses of the train on tracks adjacent to the course, leaving his ciubhouse's new banquet hau, which can seat 250 people for weddings and 300 for � clubs behind. ' business meetings. 'Let's do it righY SCOTT HANSEN COMEDY SHOW I When: 6:30 p.m. dinner, S p.m. show on I The course was named for Herbert Keller, a Saturday, Feb. 15. Ramsey County commissioner. Cost: �inner and show, $79.95 for two; i show only, $15 in advance, $20 at the door. I To save on the architecYs fee, the task of ! Information: 651-766-4176, ext. 201; designing the original 18-hole track was given to brown�aperticket eom. Paul Coates, th@ COUnty @flgln22�. At hIS oWn KELLER GOLF COURSE OPEN HOUSE , expense, Winters said, Coates visited prominent golf courses on the East Coast to see how it was �en: �-a p.m. Sunday, Feb. 23. done. His work, she said, has stood the test of ` �at: A chance to sampie food and " cocktails by Lancer Caterers, meet the time. chefs and get decor ideas for speciai events. The decision to raze the clubhouse, designed by ' Cost: Free, but RSVP at noted African-American architect Clarence "Cap" >� events_[o)lancercaterinq com or cail 651- 766-4176. Wigington, who also designed the Highland Park water tower and original Como Zoo building, was GOLF COURSE CHANGES difficult, Winters said. But with the windows rotting Six holes have been altered, but all have " new tees, greens and fairways, and there " and the stone foundation failing, it w8s are new bunkers and cart paths. determined that it could not be saved. Changes were made ro hoies i, 2, s, �o and 12. No. 18 was also moved closer to ` the clubhouse. That also offered an opportunity to renovate the One hoie that will not change is the COUfSe 8t the Sem@ tin'12. signature 150-yard, par-3 No. 4 that includes a famous—or infamous, "LeYs do it right and make sure that this gem is b ock ng the app oa hlto the greren. around for the next 85 years," Wlrlte�s SBid. Fact: Keller Golf Course has retained its designation as a "Certified Audubon "The county was really focused on preserving the Cooperative Sanctuary"for maintaining ` its high environmental standards that history of Keller because, not only the men's and include 7 acres of no-play areas which women's golf clubs, but all the people who have offer high-quaiity habitat for wildlife. loved coming here understand the history of the i�m anderson � clubhouse and the course. They were afraid of ' anything being changed on their precious course, and the county was always respectful of that." � -Print Page PagE Dave Carison,one of the project architects with the Partners&Sirny firm in Minneapolis, agreed.The planning process involved historical groups,the county and the golf clubs to reach a design consensus on a building that will be a county showpiece and can be used all year long."We tried to replicate a lot of the same design styles and techniques"as the old building,he said. The clubhouse is slightly larger than it was,but is still on its promontory overlooking Hwy.61 and Keller Lake.The building still has its distinctive dormers,but its wooden cedar-shakes siding was replaced with a more durable fiber cement material that mimics it.The flagpole is in its same spot,and the massive freplace with its sculpted Germanic-type"K"initial was carefully removed and reinstalled. The scads of inemorebilia—trophies,autographed pictures of Arnold Palmer and Jack Nicklaus and other treasured bric-a-brac—were removed,and will be displayed once again throughout the interior,he said. "It needs to get'home-ifed'—if thaYs the right word for it,"Carlson said."We need to get it to its old feel again.IYs ready." Jim Anderson•651-925-5039 Twitter:@StribJAnderson