GARY NICKLAUS IN CAPE TO SEE NEW GOLF COURSE

Gary Nicklaus got his first look at the Prestwick Plantation golf course site in Cape Girardeau Monday, and he liked what he saw.

"It's a great spot for a golf course," said Nicklaus.

The course is being designed by Nicklaus Design. "The designer has been briefing me on the layout," said Nicklaus, a PGA Tour player and son of legend golfer Jack Nicklaus.

About one-third of Prestwick Plantation, an 886-acre site along Bloomfield Road, will be used for the golf course, said Cord Dombrowski, a Cape Girardeau businessman who is heading a group developing the golf community. It will contain 27 holes, including a 7,200-yard, 18-hole course; condos; a golf club and other recreational facilities.

"A lot of work has been crammed into the last five months of the project," said Dombrowski. "Initial ground work and course shaping has been completed on 18 holes."

The course is expected to open for play in 2002.

Dombrowski said Gary Nicklaus has been informed of progress since the start.

Armed with design plans, Nicklaus visited the site along with a group of course shapers, Prestwick officials and officials of Ryan Golf, which is providing construction crews.

The efforts of a team of professional golf-course designers headed by lead golf-course architect Jon Garner were good, said Nicklaus.

"We only had to make a few minor adjustments," he said. "Most of the changes came on the final four holes of the first 18 holes."

Nicklaus Design has 214 courses worldwide, 187 of them designed by Jack Nicklaus. The Nicklaus company opened 42 courses over the last two years and has more than 50 courses in the construction or design stages.

Jack Nicklaus, Jack Nicklaus II and Steve, Gary and Michael Nicklaus, and Bill O'Leary are each designers with a combined 23 golf courses open for play and another 18 under construction or design.

A Jack Nicklaus course opened in the Missouri Ozarks recently.

Drainage of the Cape Girardeau course is next, said John "Jack" Daugherty, field operations manager for Ryan Golf. After it is drained an irrigation system will be installed. Daugherty said that work should be done by the end of the year.

Gary Nicklaus will return to inspect the final nine holes.

The idea for the Prestwick Plantation came about two years ago. Dombrowski is familiar with golf courses and their planning. He has been involved in the turf and grass business for more than eight years.