Augusta’s 96-year-old public golf course is leaving the city’s hands as of Tuesday, when the Augusta Commission approved a 50-year lease to an Augusta National Golf Club entity.
The lease is part of the partnership announced ahead of last year’s Masters Tournament between the city, Augusta Technical College, First Tee of Augusta and the golf club.
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Relinquishing “The Patch,” as it is known to locals, will save the city millions, Commissioner Brandon Garrett said after the announcement last year. Augusta National Chairman Fred Ridley said the Highland Avenue course had “great bones,” and traditions dating to its design by Scotsman David Ogilvie.
The lease followed October “input sessions” conducted by an outside agency, according to an open records request.
Augusta Technical College President Jermaine Whirl presented the commission a lease last month on behalf of the Patch Project LLC. The corporation is registered with the state at 2604 Washington Road, the same address as Augusta National Golf Club.
The project has a website, www.thepatchprojectaugusta.com Whirl said, to a request for comment.
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Whirl said the parties are “working on creating a new education/maintenance facility that will be used for Augusta Tech and First Tee programs of study.” He said last year’s listening sessions “were great,” with over 150 giving feedback.
Then-Recreation director Maurice McDowell was unable to be present due to his attending a National Recreation and Parks Association conference, the records showed.
The feedback from the sessions was not included in the city’s response to a records request for communications about the partnership.
The communications included the Warrior Alliance’s agreement last year to terminate the 2018 Double Eagle Performance Center, a program in golf course management for veterans.
The city’s contract since 2014 with course manager Cypress Golf Management is set to expire this year.
The $1-a-year lease covers approximately 143 acres effective Jan. 1, 2025. It calls for the Patch Project, LLC, to facilitate Augusta Tech’s relocation of its golf course management program to the city course.
It calls for the Patch Project to operate the facilities as a public golf course, and to make capital improvements at its expense or with previously designated sales-tax funds.
