Sea Trail Resort to replace greens on Jones Course this summer

The Jones Course at Sea Trail Resort in Sunset Beach, N.C., is expected to close in late June for an anticipated 10 weeks to replace greens and undergo other improvements.

The 6,761-yard Rees Jones design that opened in 1989 has L93 bentgrass on its greens and will be receiving Champion ultradwarf Bermudagrass, which is featured on the resort’s Byrd Course. Green collars will also be redone.

The Sea Trail Maples Course will be the lone course on the property with bentgrass, which tends to struggle in summer heat, and one of less than 10 on the Grand Strand.

“It’s just not keeping up in the summer,” said new Sea Trail head pro Andrew Galbraith, who has worked at private clubs in New Jersey. “In the cooler temperatures it thrives, but I think it’s a really good move for us. We think it’s going to give us a more consistent putting service with speed and condition.”

The Byrd Course has been receiving some renovations without closing, including the addition of sand and new drainage to bunkers and cart path repairs.

A grand opening tournament that is open to the public is planned after the Jones Course reopens.

Sea Trail has instituted monthly tournaments for the public and its members with random formats. A recent $20 Glow Ball event on seven holes of the Jones Course on a Thursday night sold out at 56 players and included a dinner. Monthly nine and dine events are being added to the other monthly tournaments.

“We’re trying to do things to keep people interested,” said Galbraith, who has been at Sea Trail for about 17 months and has been the head pro for the past four.

This story was originally published March 28, 2016 at 9:26 PM with the headline "Sea Trail Resort to replace greens on Jones Course this summer."