Golfers practice their short game before the opening round of the Epson Tour Otter Creek Championship June 14 at Otter Creek Golf Course.
Mike Wolanin | The Republic
Otter Creek Golf Course management announced last year that it would be undergoing a big renovation.
The first phase of that renovation will begin later this month. The East Nine will close after Oct. 30, and construction will begin on that area in 2025 for the new “Pup” and “Romp” Courses.
The Pup will be a chip-and-putt course featuring 40-to-60-yard holes. The Romp will be a traditional Par-3 with holes from 90-to-180 yards.
The two short-courses are a change from the original plan in Otter Creek’s redesign model.
“We kind of felt this model captured the cradle-to-grave experience that our original plan did,” said Austin Wright, director of golf for Otter Creek and Harrison Lake Country Club.
Wright said he hopes to have the Pup and the Romp open by Memorial Day 2026.
Pup and Romp are names of baby otters and a family of critters. The new championship course will be called the “Otter.”
Otter Creek owner and COO Bob Haddad Jr. said a decision still needs to be made about possible renovation or replacement of the architecturally significant clubhouse. He is working with Landmark Columbus and former local executive Will Miller on a study of what can be done.
Meanwhile, the Epson Tour will return to Otter Creek June 26-29, 2025. Thirteen of the 15 Epson Tour players that recently earned their LPGA tour cards competed at Otter Creek this year, when the course hosted the event for the first time.
Following next year’s Epson Tour event, No. 18 on the championship course will be turned into a Par-3, and the driving range will be moved into that area. The championship 18 (North and West Nines) will be open all of next year, and construction on the new championship course will begin in 2026.
“We don’t know if we’re going to do it all at once or in phases,” Wright said. “We haven’t figured that out yet. But there will be golf in some fashion available there always.”
Wright said Otter Creek will host a Golf and Goals outing on Oct. 30.
