The back-nine golf course at River Oaks will re-open this weekend.
A scramble tournament will be staged Saturday morning to celebrate the completed renovation.
The course was closed for 18 months when nearby Tuolumne River flooded due to heavy rains.
"It’s perfectly manicured. It’s in better shape than any public course in our area. People will really appreciate that.”Ryan Thornberry
“I started playing here in 1990,” said River Oaks Golf Course & Event Center owner Ryan Thornberry, a former standout at Ceres High and Stanislaus State. “This is the best it’s looked in years. It’s beautiful. It’s perfectly manicured. It’s in better shape than any public course in our area. People will really appreciate that.”
River Oaks added an additional 150 yards to its back-nine course.
“Last fall, we spent a lot of time doing land work,” Thornberry said. “We added length. The course is a little more challenging.”
Ryan and his brother Nick, parents Ken and Pam, and uncle Robert and aunt Gloria Hall purchased River Oaks Golf Course from the Phipps family in August of 2015.
A total of $300,000 has been spent on improvements.
They constructed a 3,200-square foot tented event center beside the clubhouse.
FootGolf and disc golf courses were also installed.
“It’s been a huge learning curve for all of us,” Ryan said. “Patience has been the hardest thing. It flooded and set us back another year. We have high expectations and this course meets those expectations. We have a product we’re proud of.”
The River Oaks Golf Course & Event Center is located at 3441 Golf Links Road in Ceres.
Saturday’s two-person scramble kickoff event will get underway at 8:30 a.m.
Cost is $40 per person.
To schedule a tee time, call (209) 537-4653.
