HE ongoing transformation of St. George's Golf Club from a deteriorating facility, showing its age, into a top-class course has been plagued with unforeseen difficulties.

Problems with deliveries of grass sprigs and sand from the US have delayed work that the public course had hoped to have completed before the end of 2005.

But general manager Max Atherden and chairman of trustees Michael Emery believe that by the end of June, the battle to upgrade all the course's greens and bunkers will have finally been won.

And, with a special low fee of $35 for an 18-hole round plus golf cart ($25 for seniors) being offered until the end of February, the club is now inviting everyone to come and have a look at the improvements made so far.

"The golf course was going downhill," Mr. Emery said. "The trustees were not happy with its condition and we simply wanted to improve the course for the members and for everyone.

"The Government is trying to promote golf in Bermuda as a marketing tool for tourism and the improvements we are making go along with that."

Three weeks ago this newspaper reported on the strong feelings of some members, who were disappointed that the promised changes had not been completed and were angry with the state of the back nine holes.

Mr. Atherden said the back nine would be closed down in April and would remain closed for some 12 weeks, while seashore paspalum grass is planted on the greens and bunkers are fully replenished with white sand.

Last year, the club's management had intended to keep nine holes open throughout the upgrade, by completing work on the front nine holes between May and August, before dealing with the back nine over the following three months.

But after closing down holes one through nine from May, management then ended up closing down the entire course from August.

Tee boxes and greens on the front nine have already been replanted with seashore paspalum, which is resistant to salt water. Ocean spray had killed some of the grass on the greens closest to the coast ? a problem that it is hoped the paspalum will solve.

But the expected second delivery of grass never arrived from Georgia-based suppliers Rapid Turf of America.

"This company was the only one authorised by the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries to ship grass to Bermuda," Mr. Atherden said. "The rules are that the grass has to be grown without touching soil, to prevent the importation of soil-borne pests.

"This company has supplied Belmont Hills and the Mid Ocean Club and it's been doing business with Bermuda for eight years ? it wasn't just somebody we found in the phone book."

For some reason, the supplier did not comply with the growing regulations for the second shipment and so the Ministry refused permission for it to be shipped to the island.

There was insufficient time for another supplier to be approved by the authorities and to send a new shipment before the summer growing season ended.

In the meantime, the back nine greens have been planted with winter grass, which can grow in the colder months, as a stop-gap measure. The grass has grown rapidly and already most of the greens look lush.

Another supplier, Jennings Turf, of Georgia, has been authorised to supply some more sea paspalum sprigs, ready for planting in April, when soil temperatures will be high enough to allow it to grow.

Asked about the financial ramifications of the grass delivery failure, Mr. Emery said: "We paid for everything in advance, because we set an aggressive timetable and we wanted no delays.

"We have not got the money back yet, but that is something we are pursuing."

He declined to say how much was involved or whether the matter had reached the courts.

There were also delivery problems with the sand, which was also due to be sent by Rapid Turf.

"The same company was also supplying sand for Tucker's Point and Belmont and we were hoping to cut shipping costs by sharing with them, but it never happened," Mr. Emery said.

A new supplier, Foster Dixiana, has been recruited and the bunkers will be replenished as soon as the course's budget allows.

"Most of the bunkers have sand, although around 15 to 20 per cent still don't," Mr. Atherden said, adding that the sand-less traps were situated from the 12th hole onwards.

"The bunkers and the greens seem bigger. In fact, they've just been brought back to their original size.

"Since the course opened 20 years ago, grass has encroached on the bunkers and they've become smaller."

Both men rejected suggestions that members had received a rough deal last year with the course being completely closed for the best part of four months.

"Our biggest concern was addressing the members and making sure that they had somewhere to play," Mr. Emery said.

"While the full 18 were closed, we made arrangements for them to play at other public courses, Ocean View and Port Royal, as members."

Mr. Atherden pointed out that when the front nine holes were closed between May and August last year, fees for a golf cart were drastically reduced ? from $28 to $8 for under-60s and from $14 to $4 for older members.

Mr. Emery paid tribute to the efforts of the grounds staff, who had themselves done much of the revamp work ? even the construction of a building to house the course's new reverse osmosis plant.

The upgrade is also bringing improvements to the clubhouse, where the toilets have already been renovated. A new fleet of golf carts is expected to arrive at the club by next week and new mowers and tractors have also been ordered.

"The bathrooms were in bad shape and renovating them is all part of creating something that looks welcoming," Mr. Emery, who is an architect, said. "First impressions count."

Also in the pipeline for the course is the creation of a new hole.

"One complaint we've heard is that the 15th short par-three is right in the firing line of the 16th," Mr. Emery said.

"We've come up with a solution, to use the spare hole we have as the 16th and that creates a long and spectacular 15th hole, playing from high up, towards the ocean."

The improvements are there to see already, with greens that had been brown or even bare, now actually green again. St. George's Golf Club is just months away from having a course to match its magnificent setting.

The $35 special offer runs through to the end of February. Tee times can be booked by calling 297-8067.