By David Westin
Columnist for the Augusta Chronicle
Wednesday, October 24, 2001


Spike Kelley is like a kid with a new toy. Make that a kid with an expensive new toy.
The former PGA Tour player and his partner, Richard Finley, recently bought Goshen Plantation Golf Club from American Golf Corp. for $1.8 million.

The 54-year-old Kelley, who played on the PGA Tour from 1973-79 and won the 1975 Buick Open, has big plans for the south Augusta course.

''It's an absolute gem," said Kelley, who moved from Shawnee, Okla., to be the co-owner/head pro at Goshen. Finley will stay in Oklahoma.

The changes include adding more than 300 yards to the 6,722-yard course by moving the tees back on 12 holes, returning the shrinking greens to their original size, rebuilding the bunkers, renovating the clubhouse and attracting amateur tournaments back to the club.

In the month that Kelley has been in charge, he's already made positive changes. More than 100 stumps have been pulled out from the course, and a new fleet of golf cars are in use.

Kelley's enthusiasm about Goshen has struck a chord with golfers who appreciate the Ellis Maples-designed course. More than 40 golfers, some of them former members, have joined since Kelley took over.

''It's nice to see people have faith without us doing too much yet," said Kelley, who hopes to have all the changes completed by April 1. ''People say it looks better already. I say 'tell me that in three months.' We don't want a day to go by that we're not better."

Another reason for the interest could be the membership drive Kelley is running: monthly dues of $150 per person or family, which includes unlimited golf and carts. There is no initiation fee. The membership will be closed at 150 members.

Having just one type of membership is quite a change from the way American Golf Corp. ran Goshen.

''They discounted everything," Kelley said, joking that the group had memberships ''according to how old you were, what month you were born, what time of day you played, how tall your were, what sex you were and did you drive a Ford or Chevy."

For non-members, the greens fees are $25 on Monday-Thursday, $30 on Friday, and $35 on Saturday and Sunday. Golf cars are included in the price. Walking is allowed at any time, but walkers won't receive a discount from the flat greens fee price.

Kelley was the pro at Shawnee (Okla.) Country Club for 15 years before building the Traditions Golf Club in Oklahoma City, where he worked until finding out on the Internet that Goshen was for sale.

''I looked at about 12 courses, and this was by far the best," Kelley said. ''This had the best chance of succeeding. It's such a great golf course. There's no reason not to get it in great condition. That's one thing we want to be known for: the condition of our course. Everyone I asked in town said Goshen is a great layout, but that the condition varies from time to time."

Another thing Kelley hears around town has to do with amateur tournaments at Goshen. There aren't any left.

In recent years, the club lost the Golf Capital Invitational to Midland Valley Country Club and discontinued the 2-Man Scramble and the Goshen Pro-Am. All were popular tournaments.

''Listening to people, they ask, 'are you going to have tournaments out here like they used to?"' Kelley said. ''I say, 'sure,' because that's what people want. They want the 2-Man Scramble back. One man has already said he wants to sponsor it. We want to get back into the Regions Cup, too."

Kelley's positive impression of Goshen was borne out in a meeting he held with the Goshen Men's Golf Association soon after the bought the club.

''I asked them which was the weakest hole at Goshen," Kelley said. ''They couldn't come up with one. They had ones they liked better than others, but they didn't have a weak hole, a hole that was jammed into the golf course and didn't fit."

The holes that will be lengthened at least 15 yards are Nos. 2, 3, 5, 8, 9, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 17 and 18. The work will be done by Course Crafters, the same group that worked on the recent changes at Augusta National Golf Club and is working at Augusta Country Club. The changes will bring the course to ''around 7,100 yards," Kelley said.

''We're doing it because of modern-day equipment and the modern-day golfer," Kelley said. ''This is a rare opportunity because we have enough land to expand the golf course."

One thing Goshen won't ever have, at least under Kelley, are rangers on the course, pushing golfers to play faster. Instead, he plans have a stand built near the first tee, where the starter will tell the golfers about pace of play and what the rules are that day.

''Rangers and marshals, that alone depicts a badge and a gun," Kelley said. ''It's that Old West mentality: I have some authority, and I'm going to use it. I can see Matt Dillon out there with Miss Kitty and all those guys from Gunsmoke."