At last: Pierre's Hillsview Golf Course to open

“It is unusually late, but last year we didn’t open until April 22, so we’ve had two back-to-back late years,” Hayn said Thursday. “The earliest date, post-flood, that we opened was in 2016 when we opened March 16. From 2015-2017, we opened in March.”

Hayn was referring to the Missouri River flood of the summer of 2011, which put Hillsview in the rough for two years; it was repaired and re-opened for the 2013 season.

In 2016, the fall stretched out as long as a John Daly drive and it meant a record number of rounds played at Hillsview, over 32,000 for the season. Last year, it was closer to 28,000, Hayn said.

The turf remains wet enough that no golf carts will be allowed off the paths for now. And the regional high school girls tournament, which had been scheduled for today, April 18, and would have brought three dozen young golfers to town, had to be called off.

“We made that decision on Monday, based on what things looked like,” Hayn said. The course still isn’t ready to play today, but workers were able to get out and mow still-wet greens, she said on Thursday.

And it should be more than ready for the Pierre Girls Invitational on Tuesday, April 23, which usually draws about 70 golfers, Hayn said.

To reserve a tee-time at the course in the far southeast corner of the city, call (605) 773-6191 or visit www.cityofpierre.org. Season passes are available at the pro shop, at City Hall or online at www.cityofpierre.org.