Port Royal is to be transformed into Bermuda's premier golf course as part of an estimated $13.7 million facelift and is scheduled to reopen in January 2009.

The extensive upgrade will see the course lengthened from 6,561 to 6,757 yards, while all tees and greens will be rebuilt and all bunkers redesigned.

At a press conference held yesterday at the Government's signature course Premier Ewart Brown said, "Port Royal, a public course, will be Bermuda's finest golf course when it reopens".

As part of the long-awaited revamp hole 12 will change from a par three to a par four and hole 13, a par four, will become a par three. A reverse osmosis plant and course irrigation system will also be installed, and all tees and greens will be re-turfed with TifEagle grass.

It is further intended, as a seperate project, to demolish and rebuild the clubhouse.

Premier Dr. Brown spoke of the intention to make the course and its facilities of a high enough quality to attract top golfing events, such as the PGA Grand Slam of Golf which was staged at the Mid Ocean Golf Club last year.

Chairman of the trustees Wendell Brown took over in April 2006 with a firm mandate to upgrade the course. Initially the facility was to close early last year, but plans were delayed for 12 months to accommodate the installation of the reverse osmosis plant and for improvements to be made to the problematic irrigation system.

Designed by renowned golf course architect Robert Trent Jones at various times since it opened in 1970, Port Royal has been regarded as one of the best public courses in the world.

But despite continuing to play host to major local events such as the Bermuda Open and the Amateur Strokeplay Championships, the standard of the course has steadily declined over the last decade.

A 2003 golf course report by the Department of Tourism argued Bermuda would fall behind in the cut-throat world of golf tourism if it did not spruce up all local courses, with Port Royal in need of an "urgent upgrade".

St. George's Golf Course and Ocean View will remain open to the public while the improvements to Port Royal are carried out.