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Grass is greener at Marion Country Club

Sports reporter

It's hard to miss. At least from March to October.

Just outside Marion city limits, but still in Marion County, sits an 80-acre golf course. It's neatly maintained green grass and luscious trees are easily visible from K-256.

Just beyond the trees sits the newly constructed bridge that connects the fourth hole's tee box and fairway. Its tall railings, and widened path have eliminated all accidental golf cart falls into the creek.

Marion Country Club has brought joy, or frustration depending on your golf game, to golfers for more than 60 years. That doesn't mean it always looked the same.

When Clive "Butch" Jarvis and his wife Lydia bought the course in 1945 and rented it to the country club, it hardly mirrored the modern nine holes of today.

There were sand greens, no watered fairways, and dues totaled a whopping $12 per year.

But that was common for the time, especially in smaller towns.

After 25 years of owning and maintaining the course, the Jarvis' decided to rent the land in 1970.

That's when the Marion Country Club Board of Directors was founded. Members bought stock and yearly dues were used to pay the Jarvis' for the land.

For six years it remained constant. Changes began in 1976.

The board decided they would make an $8,000 offer to the city to buy the club. The city refused.

Ed Costello, Marion resident and former board member, recalls that incident.

"That's when we realized if we're going to do it, we have to do it ourselves," he said.

So they did, and the private club was formed after they raised the money. The board still wanted to improve the course.

The sand greens were no longer a viable option. It was time to modernize the course with grass greens.

Easier said than done.

It would cost $36,000 for the installation, as well as almost $7,000 more for other improvements.

The board received $12,500 from Marion National Bank, Tampa State Bank, and Farmers and Drovers National Bank. They now had almost one-third of the money.

The board received donations from members, and the annual fees were increased. Soon, the country club had more than enough money to pay for the maintenance.

"I think it's a real asset to the community," Costello said. "Especially for the older community."

More than just a round of golf, the course offers tournaments throughout the year. All of the tournaments are open to non-members and include prizes.

Friday, the country club will host an Old Settlers' Day tournament with prizes for closest to the pin, longest drive, and a hole-in-one contest. Golfers must call ahead to participate, but it's a time for out-of-towners to enjoy something Marion has to offer.

Golfers in the tournament who haven't played the course in more than four years may be pleasantly surprised.

That's because groundskeeper/maintenance director Justin Youk has given the course a facelift.

Youk began his job in 1996. Three years later the installation of watered fairways began, and in March 2000 was completed along with the bridge at the ninth hole. Two years later the new bridge on the fourth hole took the place of the old, rickety planks that preceded it.

Along with the sprinkler system installation, which officially started Christmas Day 2000, Youk has made other improvements.

He cleared brush to allow for more airflow and better maintenance for the greens.

Benches have been donated by businesses and members, and a pond was built for water storage for the sprinkler system.

Costello, who hasn't played golf in the last few years, still takes pride in the course, especially with the new improvements. He recalled a story about current Marion Pharmacy owner, Marlin Buchholz.

Buchholz was visiting Marion to decide if he would buy the pharmacy.

"He came into town from the East, and there was one thing that caught his eye," Costello said.

It was the golf course.

"I'm not saying that's why he moved here," Costello said. "But that's the sort of thing that brings people to town."

The course also has kept people in town. For someone ready to retire, a golf course can replace the down time that comes with retirement.

Dave Crofoot, longtime club member, said former school superintendent Gerry Henderson decided to stay in Marion after his retirement earlier this year.

"He was going to retire somewhere with a nice golf course," Crofoot said.

Henderson decided he had that right here in Marion.

Even before retirement, men and women of all ages can enjoy the course. Membership is roughly $45 per month to golf and enjoy the social atmosphere, including the pool. An out-of-town golfer can play a round of 18 holes for as low as $10.

So the course sits day after day, as it has for almost 60 years, waiting for golfers of all ages to splits its fairways, one mighty golf swing at a time.

Easier said than done.

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