News

Willow Lakes Pro Shop revitalized for 2016 golf season

  • Published
  • By Delanie Stafford
  • 55th Wing Public Affairs

Golfers playing a round at the Willow Lakes Golf Course may notice many new upgrades to the pro shop this season.

The entrance, along with several other features of the golf shop, have been renovated to make the facility more user friendly and inviting to customers.

“They’d come in and say how nice the golf course looked and then they’d come into the clubhouse that wasn’t maybe in that same category,” said Steve Ritz-Woller, the Willow Lakes Golf Course manager.

Ritz-Woller said the golf shop was in need of repairs to make it more current and functional. Part of the design included moving some walls to make merchandise and information more accessible.

“We’ve created a whole new space here for shoes,” Ritz-Woller said. “The shoes are out in the open now where customers can see them.”

Along with new ceilings and floors, energy-efficient lighting was incorporated into the renovations to brighten the merchandise throughout the pro shop.

“The new lighting is all LED, so it’s going to be a lot more energy efficient and we don’t have to replace bulbs as often,” Ritz-Woller said.

Ritz-Woller says the improvements are part of a four-phase project that will renovate much of the club house over the next few years. Phase two of the renovations is scheduled to begin in October and will upgrade the solarium and add an outdoor deck area. Phase three and four will upgrade the locker rooms and heating, ventilation and air conditioning system.

The Willow Lakes Golf Course is the only golf course in the state of Nebraska designed by Robert Trent- Jones, Sr., and will be open now until November. A grill is also open for business inside the clubhouse during weekday lunch hours and on weekends.

“It’s a huge home run with our customers,” Ritz-Woller said. “It’s nice to see customers appreciate some of the changes we’ve made and some of the investments we are making in not only the golf course, but the club house.”