Matt Decker
FORT LEONARD WOOD, Mo. (April 29, 2020) — After nearly two months of closure, Piney Valley Golf Course is set to reopen Saturday, Col. Eric Towns, U.S. Army Garrison Fort Leonard Wood commander, announced today.
“We’ve got some great news,” Towns said, responding to a viewer question during the weekly virtual town hall hosted by Maj. Gen. Donna Martin, Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and Fort Leonard Wood commanding general.
“Based on discussions with the CG, we do plan to open the golf course, to DoD ID-card holders only, on Saturday,” Towns said. “There will obviously be some risk-mitigation factors in play, including limiting the number of people in the clubhouse (and wearing) masks in the clubhouse.”
Towns also noted that the golf course’s snack bar will remain closed for now. Players will also have to walk the course.
“There will be no driving carts,” he said.
With its open space, making it relatively easy for players to practice social distancing, PVGC was one of the last Family and Morale, Welfare and Recreation facilities to be closed in late March. While it will be the first to reopen, other facilities could follow in the near future, Towns said.
“It’s a phased process for many of our MWR facilities,” he said. “The first thing we are going to open is the golf course with the mitigation measures, and we’ll eventually uncoil those mitigation measures there — and then examine other MWR facilities for opening.”
Located at 18694 FLW 20 road, PVGC is an 18-hole, par 72 championship course that, in normal circumstances, is open to the public.
How soon more facilities reopen could depend on the behavior of those who use them. Martin noted that continued, successful risk-mitigation practices by FMWR patrons will be key.
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About Fort Leonard Wood
Fort Leonard Wood is a thriving and prosperous installation that has evolved from a small basic training post more than 75 years ago to a premier Army Center of Excellence that trains more than 80,000 military and civilians each year.
Fort Leonard Wood is home to the U.S Army Maneuver Support Center of Excellence and three U.S. Army schools: the U.S. Army Engineer School; U.S. Army Chemical, Biological, Radiological and Nuclear School; and the U.S. Army Military Police School. In addition to training engineer, CBRN and military police specialties for the Army, Fort Leonard Wood also provides gender-integrated in-processing and Basic Combat Training for new Soldiers.
Fort Leonard Wood also hosts and trains with the largest Marine Corps Detachment and Air Force Squadron on any Army installation as well as a large Navy construction detachment.
More information about Fort Leonard Wood is at: https://home.army.mil/wood/index.php/about/mission