KETTERING, Ohio — The game of golf has seen a spike in popularity during the pandemic, which can be attributed to the game’s natural ability to be socially distant. 

So as more people are hitting the links, one city-owned course in Dayton is committing more than half a million dollars to improve its grounds.  

The Community Golf Club in Kettering is Dayton’s only remaining public course after Kitty Hawk closed last year.  

It's somewhere John Showalter has been playing at for years.

No matter the result, he enjoys playing the game.

“It’s a forgiving golf course, in that sense,” Showalter said with a laugh. “You could hit a wrong fairway and still recover.” 

He’s been golfing at the course since his high school days and remembers coming to the club with his dad in the 50s. 

He said he’s seen a lot of changes through the years, some good and some bad. 

“Really looking forward to seeing it become a premier golf course,” Showalter said. “I tell people when they come out that this is your community golf course.” 

But one thing Showalter and other golfers wish to see improved are the bunkers on the course as most retain water after it rains and are currently being played as ground under repair. 

The City of Dayton has hired Michigan-based architect Chris Wilczynski to reconstruct the bunkers on the course, improving the beauty and challenging the skill of those who play the 36 holes of the Hills and Dales courses.

“It’s super exciting to work on a property that means so much to the city and residents,” Wilczynski said. 

"We selected C.W. Golf Architecture for this project because Chris has an excellent resume with improving golf facilities, is very experienced, and fits very well with this project and the improvements needed," said course superintendent Bob Bajek.

Wilczynski said golf holds special value beyond it being a recreational sport. 

“It provides so much, you know, social interaction and the health benefits of just being outside, walking and playing golf and being with your friends,” Wilczynski said.

Wilczynski said he’s in his 33rd year as a course architect, and hopes to take Dayton’s only city-owned course and make it sparkle like a gem. 

“It’s really important to improve and enhance a golf facility like that, to make it the best it can be for the community and the people so that they can be proud of it as well,” he said. 

Dayton has earmarked $650,000 for the bunker reconstruction and other course improvements, like new golf carts and tree removal. 

The project will start in early September and should be completed before the start of the 2022 season, making long-time golfers like Showalter excited for what’s to come.

“Having the bunkers improved that will make a big difference,” Showalter said. “We’ll look forward to that.”