Demand For Iconic Golf Course Postpones Closure
AURORA, Colo. (CBS4) – Dozens of golfers enjoyed one last round on closing day of the historic Fitzsimons Golf Course.
The course was scheduled to close on Friday, but residents' demand to play just one last time kept it open over the weekend.
The 18-hole course located near Montview Boulevard and Peoria Street began with just three holes when it opened in 1918.
Sunday's chilly weather did not keep golfers from cherishing its very last day.
Staff members said that ever since November's announcement of the course closure, they have been pushing through more than 200 rounds almost every day.
Ed Walsh, a longtime Fitzsimons course golfer, shed a few tears as he played his last round at the course.
He also re-hung a wooden sign someone had just taken down so that he could snap a final photo of the legendary tree honoring "Ike," nick-name for former President Dwight Eisenhower, who frequented the the course in the 1950s.
"I'm pretty sad," Walsh told CBS4's Melissa Garcia. "I started playing here in 1972."
The closure of the century-old course will turn away thousands of players with countless memories on the green.
"I brought my son out. He learned to play here with his grandpa and me," Walsh added.
Adjacent to the Anschutz Medical Campus, plans for development include a bio-medical center. Developers have also re-zoned the space for mixed use, both retail and residential.
"I can see they'd probably make more money making this into apartments than anything else," said Erik Govednik, who took to the course Sunday with three of his co-workers.
"I understand they need to develop the land since it's so valuable," said Adam Kane, another golfer. "But it is also Aurora's most historic course, so it's really sad to see it go."
Despite freezing temperatures, Kane and about 40 others braved the cold Sunday to tee-off on the course's final day open. They said goodbye to an Aurora icon, and hello to a new chapter in the city's growth.
"Progress has its cost," said Walsh.
The Fitzsimons Redevelopment Authority will officially take over the course on Monday.
Melissa Garcia has been reporting for CBS4 News since March 2014. Find her bio here, follow her on Twitter @MelissaGarciaTV, or send your story idea to mkgarcia@cbs.com.