WINTER PARK, Fla. – Repairs are underway after an employee mistakenly sprayed the wrong substance on the greens at the Winter Park Golf Course earlier this month — a mistake city leaders say will cost at least six figures to fix.
The Winter Park City Commission is set to discuss the issue at its meeting Wednesday.
While just five greens were severely impacted at the popular golf course, the city plans to renovate all nine at the same time. City staff estimates the cost for all nine will total around $123,000.
Officials say greens are typically replaced about every decade. To pay for this, the city will redirect money from a planned bunker project to cover the work.
City leaders say an incomplete cleaning of a spray rig led to contamination that damaged the greens. The damaged greens were removed, and crews began a sprigging to grow new grass. The greens are expected to take weeks to fully mature.
Right now, temporary greens are in place so that golfers can still hit the course.
Golfers said the course may not look its best right now, but they’re still playing.
“We have temporary greens right now, which is going to make all the holes a little bit shorter,” golfer Lee Ann Johnson said. “It gives us an opportunity to work on our short game.”
Johnson said she’s not thrilled about the cost but understands the city’s decision.
“I’m a taxpayer — I’m not happy about the money, but you know what, it is what it is,” she said. “So make the most of it.”
As for the employee responsible, the city confirmed the employee did not properly respond once the issue was discovered and was ultimately fired.
The commission will take up the issue at its Wednesday afternoon meeting.