A drizzle may have temporarily dampened spirits and the fairways at the 2024 Firecracker Open in Austin, but it didn't keep aficionados from witnessing the storied tournament and its host course's spruced-up features. The Lions Municipal Golf Course, affectionately known as MUNY, showcased its recent improvements over the weekend, despite an untimely pause due to afternoon rains on Saturday.
According to a report by KXAN, the event which carried on, highlighted the addition of a fresh 8,000-square-foot putting green. Swapping out the old 1,500-square-foot green, Scotty Sayers, the co-chair of The Muny Conservancy, expressed pride in the new expansion, which was just in time to catch the rain's blessing.
The Lions Municipal Golf Course, aside from catering to a wide range of perpetually hoping their swings don't mimic their moods, serves as the home course for 12 high school teams. Undeterred by Saturday's showers, dozens showed up to partake in the classic says Sayers.
In a video uploaded by Tyler Felman, Ben Crenshaw, a two-time Masters winner and co-chair alongside Sayers, waxed nostalgic, "Dudley Kruger, the first winner out here. And, uh, people come from all over Texas. It's one of the really great amateur events in the state." The duo hailed the course's centennial presence and its community spirit, noting recent enhancements like the putting green and more cerebral pleasures, like the clubhouse's spruced-up appearance and nascent history wall.
Projects financed by generous donations included more than just sod and seeds. As per the dapper Crenshaw, "We're putting in a new speaker system that's, uh, gonna be a little newer than the 50 year old one where you could and I can't understand. It sounds like AM radio," noted for its role in community communication, which undistorted sounds will enhance further. While the University of Texas, which owns the land, ponders its future, the Conservancy's continuous efforts keep the historical greens in tip-top shape.
The Firecracker Open marks yet another year in its long history, wrapping up on Sunday, continuing to be a magnet for local and statewide golf talent. There's no doubt that the enhancements are considered a driver, if not a wood, for golfers of all skills wanting to prove their mettle on a field steeped in tradition.
