A new spin on Concession golf

Entrepreneur Bruce Cassidy Sr. loves golf so much he purchased The Concession Golf Club in 2010.

Now, Cassidy is investing more than $1 million to add a Jack Nicklaus Signature-designed, nine-hole, Par 3 golf course and a one-acre putting course at The Concession. Both are under construction.

Par-3 holes are holes designed, on average, to take three strokes to complete; holes often are less than 200 yards in length. By comparison, a typical course includes Par 4 and Par 5 holes as well.

Concession Membership Director Brian Weimann said Concession’s Par 3 holes will be between 80 to 130 yards.

One hole — No. 5 — even will have an island green. Those not experienced enough for a long carry over water can walk around to the back of the hole and tee off from an area that has a strip of land leading to the green.

“Our task was we want a course that is fun for anybody to play, but challenging enough for a professional,” Cassidy said. “It’s another amenity we think will drive new membership. The thing with golf today is people say regular golf takes too long. This will take less than an hour to play. It’s also designed to be walkable.”

“We’re expecting a quality Par 3,” Cassidy said. “All the greens on our Par 3 are being built to USGA standards.”

Weimann said professionals say their “short game” is what separates them from competitors at tournaments, so this will give them plenty of opportunities to practice.

The one-acre putting course also will be unique. Typically, such a course is a maximum of 10,000 square feet, but the one planned for Concession is 44,000 square feet.

“It’s mini-golf on steroids,” Cassidy said, noting even non-golfers can putt. “St. Andrews (Links in England) has a two-acre Himalayas Putting Course. Ours will be similar, but it’s not a copy cat.”

The St. Andrews putting course sees 50,000 golfers annually, Cassidy said.

The Par 3 and putting courses are expected to open formally Nov. 1.

Local golfers said they liked the idea of adding variety.

“I’m looking forward to it,” golfer Ed Wroble said. “It will be an extra fun activity.”

Weimann said the club has started a new social membership program, which offers limited play on the Par 3 course, limited golf on the regular course and access to The Concession’s culinary offerings.