Wickliffe’s Green Ridge Golf Course at 29150 Ridge Road has successfully reopened for play following an extensive rehabilitation effort led by the city’s Service Department, overcoming a devastating fungus that left the 1920s-era layout completely unplayable last July.
Restored Greens Allow Golfers Back at Ohio Course
- Course Availability: Local golfers regain access to one of Ohio’s oldest courses following a late April reopening.
- Turf Resilience: Strategic aeration, sanding, feeding, seeding, and top-dressing successfully restored the greens after total damage in July of last year.
- Player Access: Strict turf-protection protocols required golfers to stay off recovering areas, ensuring long-term course viability for future seasons.
Overcoming Turf Failure at Green Ridge
The municipal golf asset faced a severe crisis in July of last year when a destructive fungus wiped out the playing surfaces. Recreation Director Tim Stopp noted that the greens were entirely dead, forcing the city to collaborate with turf professionals to diagnose and correct the underlying issues. The rehabilitation demanded intensive physical labor from the local maintenance crew and Service Department, who executed comprehensive aeration, sanding, feeding, seeding, and top-dressing across the property.
To shield the vulnerable grass during its recovery window, management deployed temporary greens to keep the 1920s property operational. In addition to turf remediation, crews finished vital dredging and final grading work on-site. Mayor Joe Sakacs pointed to increased communication, the addition of a knowledgeable new golf course manager, and tireless work by the service crew—often laboring through harsh inclement weather prior to the spring launch—as catalysts for the dramatic turnaround.
City Officials Expand Cart Paths and Update Clubhouse
The recovery of the greens represents just one phase of ongoing capital improvements at Green Ridge Golf Course, recognized as one of the oldest courses in Ohio. City officials have steadily advanced infrastructure updates across the grounds, prioritizing the expansion and condition of cart paths alongside a facelift on the inside of the clubhouse facility.
Council President Randy Gerhardstein, a longtime player at the facility, observed that the physical dedication of the grounds crew is visibly paying off on the course. Stopp emphasized that the city approaches these upgrades incrementally, continually refining the property to enhance the overall player experience.
| Project Phase | Action Taken | Operational Status |
|---|---|---|
| Greens Remediation | Aeration, sanding, seeding, and top-dressing | Fully Recovered |
| Turf Protection | Deployment of temporary greens and restricted access | Completed |
| Site Drainage | Dredging and final grading | Finished |
| Clubhouse & Grounds | Interior facility facelift and cart path maintenance | Ongoing |
Looking Ahead to the Next Season
Although the rigorous rehabilitation schedule forced a delayed opening for the season, city leadership maintained that keeping golfers off the turf was non-negotiable to protect the substantial agronomic investment. With the greens now stabilized and thriving, Stopp expressed deep gratitude to everyone involved in the recovery process and confirmed that the facility is positioned for a strong rebound next summer.
“The greens were dead in July of last year when we had issues with the fungus,” Stopp said. “Due to the efforts of the Service Department and the staff at the course, the greens have experienced a major turnaround.”
City officials remain committed to the ongoing phased enhancement of the property, ensuring the historic landmark continues to serve local golfers for years to come.
