THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Sunday, June 18, 1995 TAG: 9506170088
SECTION: SUFFOLK SUN PAGE: 25 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY BILL LEFFLER, CURRENTS SPORTS EDITOR
LENGTH: Medium: 61 lines
``OPEN HEART SURGERY'' is the way Jim Armentrout describes the work that's been going on at the Sleepy Hole golf course.
The result, says the longtime professional who now leases Sleepy Hole from the city, is that the course is better than it ever was.
``And it's just going to get better,'' said Armentrout. ``Frankly, I would say it gets 100 percent better every 10 days. In just a short period of time, the course has gone from its worst condition to its best - better than when the Ladies Professional Golf Association played tournaments here.''
Ten greens have been completely redone. Two thousand tons of sand have been brought in for the bunkers at $17 per ton.
About $175,000 has been spent for new maintenance equipment - mowers, Tri-plex rough units, top dressing and aeration equipment. Seventy-two new golf carts were purchased.
``We never had the resources to do this before,'' said Armentrout, who now operates the course with partner Ronnie Rountree, president of Rountree Construction in Suffolk.
In mid-January - at $10,000 to $15,000 per green - reconstruction began. It involved cutting trenches two inches wide and 12 inches deep in the greens to put in drainage.
The same drainage was used in redoing many of the course's 60 bunkers.
``Essentially native soil - nearly clay - was used before,'' said Armentrout. ``Now it's just a matter of time for the grooming and the healing. The color of the greens never was like this. We never had the proper drainage. By August, we expect to have the very best greens in the entire area.''
Armentrout has assumed the position as director of golf at Sleepy Hole and has hired J.B. Sangaicomo as the pro. Sangaicomo formerly was an assistant at Cavalier and at Suffolk.
Richard Jones is the new greens superintendent. He was an assistant at Elizabeth Manor.
The pro shop has been renovated and expanded.
The scoreboard near the first hole was taken down and will be relocated near the 18th hole.
``We did a lot of clearing at No. 18,'' said Armentrout. ``When you get to the top of the fairway, you can look out and see the beauty of the Nansemond River. Historically, this is the best golf hole in Tidewater.''
Armentrout's future plans include work on the lakes around the course. ``We will start on this in the winter,'' he said. ``We want them to look nice and we want them to provide water for irrigation. We'll be digging the lakes deeper.''
Added Armentrout: ``All of this has been an ordeal, but there's a lot of satisfaction in seeing it come to this stage so quickly.
``I think when folks come out and play now, each of them will be one more ambassador for Sleepy Hole.'' ILLUSTRATION: Staff photo by MICHAEL KESTNER
Sleepy Hole golf director Jim Armentrout, left, chats with golf pro
J.B. Sangaicomo outside the clubhouse.
by CNB