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Map courtesy of city of Homewood
Three Homewood residents are proposing to build an 18-hole putting course at 504 and 508 Scott St., between Oxmoor Boulevard and Oxmoor Street. This is the proposed layout, with surrounding businesses shown.
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Site plan courtesy of city of Ho
Three Homewood residents are proposing to build an 18-hole putting course at 504 and 508 Scott St., between Oxmoor Boulevard and Oxmoor Street. This is the proposed layout.
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Image courtesy of city of Homewo
Three Homewood residents are proposing to build an 18-hole putting course at 504 and 508 Scott St., between Oxmoor Boulevard and Oxmoor Street.
Three Homewood residents are asking the city for permission to build an 18-hole outdoor putting course and entertainment hub off Oxmoor Boulevard.
Owen Ferguson, Jack Dorough and Tommy Donaldson are taking their request to the Homewood Planning Commission Tuesday night, Aug. 4. Their plan is to put the outdoor entertainment facility on an acre at 504 and 508 Scott St., which is between Oxmoor Boulevard and Oxmoor Street in West Homewood. Adjacent businesses include a Public Storage self-storage facility, American Flag Co. The Pennington Group, Oxmoor Automotive and Homewood Animal Hospital.
The 18-hole course — to be called The Woods — would be designed and constructed by a company called PuttTek. The synthetic turf is engineered to replicate the speed, smoothness and feel of real golf greens — with varied terrain, natural slopes and legitimate breaks across all 18 holes, according to the application from the men’s company — Straight Up Investments.
“Every design decision is made by experienced competitive golfers who understand what a real putting surface should look and feel like,” the application says. “The result is a venue that appeals equally to the avid golfer looking for a genuine challenge, the family making it a Saturday afternoon tradition, and the group of friends looking for something more engaging than a typical night out.”
The facility also would include a full-service bar and grill and an outdoor hangout area with a large TV wall that is designed for live music performances, DJ events and sports programming. The covered outdoor patio would have a seating area for 30 to 40 guests, and the standard operating capacity would be 60 to 75 outdoor guests, but the venue would be capable of accommodating events with up to 150 guests, according to the application.
There would be outdoor amplified sound, but the venue would abide by the city’s noise ordinance, with outdoor amplified sound cutting off outside operating hours. Proposed operating hours are 11 a.m. to 10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday, 11 a.m. to midnight Friday and 10 a.m to midnight Saturday for most of the year and 10 a.m.-10 p.m. Sunday-Thursday and 10 a.m. to midnight Friday and and Saturday in June and July.
“This is a locally owned and operated business built specifically for the Homewood community, consistent with the city's stated priorities of creating a vibrant downtown, supporting local employment and attracting destination businesses that generate sustained economic activity within city limits,” the business’s application says.
Image courtesy of city of Homewo
This is an example of a PuttTek putting course.
“The Woods was not designed in a boardroom or pitched by an outside developer. We are Homewood people asking for a chance to build something for Homewood,” the men say in their application. “The three of us grew up here, went to school here and have spent meaningful parts of our lives serving this community. We know this community because we are this community — and that is precisely why we believe The Woods belongs here. Homewood deserves a destination it can be proud of. A place that keeps families here on a Friday night instead of driving somewhere else. A place that aligns with the vision of developing and growing West Homewood. We believe deeply that this venue fills a gap Homewood has needed for a long time, and we are committed to building it in a way that makes this city proud.”
The Homewood Planning Commission meeting Tuesday night is at Homewood City Hall. There is a work session at 5:30 p.m. and an action meeting at 6 p.m.
Another item on the agenda is a new proposal from Samford University for two six-story student housing buildings on the south side of Lakeshore Drive, between Shades Creek and the university’s soccer and track complex. See more about that proposal here.
See the full Planning Commission agenda and accompanying applications here.
