Nearly four months after revealing plans to reimagine Redding’s oldest public golf course as a driving range, work to open the new attraction is proceeding.
The McConnell Foundation, which owns the property that the former Lake Redding Golf Course sits on, revealed more details about the future of the golf offerings there.
While the foundation is not ready to announce an opening date, McConnell Chief Operating Officer Shannon Phillips said there will be discussions later in July about that and the remaining work to be done.
Phillips did reveal the name of the new attraction: The Range at Lake Redding.
Jason Munson, owner and general manager of The Golf Club Tierra Oaks in Redding and Grape Ranch Golf Club in Palo Cedro, is the range’s operator. McConnell Foundation owns the business.
“I think the community needs something like this. I think the community lacks this type of offering,” Munson said. Also, “I am very interested in doing more for kids golf programs.
“Having a good community golf center for kids and providing kids development is important and that’s why I am part of it.”
Changes coming to The Range at Lake Redding golf course revealed
A long concrete pathway that will house the driving-range bays or stalls has been put in. The new driving range will have 23 stations with grass mats and a grass area for lessons and other activities, Munson said.
The driving range includes what were the second, sixth, eighth and ninth holes of the former golf course.
Also, part of the first phase is new flooring and new paint inside the clubhouse, which will offer beverages, including beer and wine, and a limited food menu.
“Very minimal food service in the beginning. There will be some grab and go items,” Phillips said.
There is talk about opening with the driving range or waiting until the netting and lighting are installed along with covered bays, which Munson calls phase two of the project.
“If it’s going to take an extended period of time before we get phase two done, then we may choose to open early,” he said.
Richard Eramaa, the project manager who’s also the head professional at Tierra Oaks and Grape Ranch, recently moved to Redding from the Monterey area where he worked as assistant pro at Pebble Beach Golf Links. He said the project in Redding is a unique opportunity for him.
“So, when you’re a pro and you’ve been in this business for a long time, a lot of those (golf courses) have already been established.
“To build something and to be a part of something and you want to grow and be a part of the community, 100 percent you don’t get to do that very often,” Eramaa said.
Eramaa has been starting his days early at Lake Redding. Many times, people will stop by and ask what is going on.
“I know this is (an important part) of the community,” he said.
Meanwhile, fixing the outdated irrigation system has delayed the project. Phillips of the McConnell Foundation said the property is on 23 acres, “so it’s a pretty extensive piece of property to go through and look at every sprinkler head and see the range it is (watering).”
Jim Smith, who with his wife, Linell, operated Lake Redding Golf Course for 15 years before retiring in 2023, has been helping with the irrigation work.
“We reached out to Jim,” Munson said. “He was a huge asset to that property and knows it very well.”
Smith built dozens of golf courses before he arrived at Lake Redding. They included the Greg Norman-designed The Course at Wente Vineyards in Livermore and the Arnold Palmer PGA West in La Quinta in Southern California.
Long-term plans for The Range at Lake Redding include a short nine-hole golf course that would encompass the area where the remaining holes at the old golf course once sat, Munson said.
In the interim, those holes that are not taken up by the driving range could be used as a practice area for high school and youth golfers, Munson said.
David Benda covers business, development and anything else that comes up for the USA TODAY Network in Redding. He also writes the weekly “Buzz on the Street” column. He’s part of a team of dedicated reporters that investigate wrongdoing, cover breaking news and tell other stories about your community. Reach him on Twitter @DavidBenda_RS or by phone at 1-530-338-8323. To support and sustain this work, please subscribe today.
This article originally appeared on Redding Record Searchlight: The Range at Lake Redding promises new golf experience for North State
Reporting by David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight / Redding Record Searchlight
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By David Benda, Redding Record Searchlight | USA TODAY Network
