JOHN DAY — Significant flood damage shuttered the clubhouse at the John Day Golf Club for nearly three months, but a local contractor and volunteers put the final touches on a long-overdue renovation of the 70-year-old building last month, and now the member-owned club is gearing up for a reopening on Saturday, April 9, with a 18-hole golf scramble, auction and tri-tip dinner.

Joe Densberger, the club’s bar manager, said the flooding was caused by an outdated plumbing system. It damaged the old bar and one wall so severely that both had to be removed to even begin the repairs.

In that case, he thought, why not open up the clubhouse by knocking out the wall and fireplace that divided the cocktail area and banquet room? Also, why not put in a wider bar with more room for staff to work behind it? And why not move the bar closer to the window to the club’s patio, which looks out over the course with its meticulously maintained, uniform greens and tree-lined fairways?

Densberger said it took a village of dues-paying member volunteers to get the project off the ground. In the middle of winter, they put in long days to knock down the wall and pull out the old bar. After that, he said, the rest of the project went out for bid and was awarded to Dayville-based contractor Casey Fretwell.

Fretwell put in the custom-finished bar, installed new flooring and did needed electrical work.

Longtime dues-paying members like Chuck Coffman, a firefighter with Grayback Forestry, spent eight- and 10-hour days for over two weeks knocking down the wall, pulling out the fireplace and making numerous trips to the dump with Wayne Simmons. 

Coffman’s wife, Kathleen Lee, an insurance agent at Bisnett, chipped in after work and on weekends.

Lee said she only helped with the cleanup, which, she said, entailed filling wheel barrels. On the other hand, she said some of the other women, such as Rose Tanler and a few other board member wives, stepped up for club and accomplished a lot. that, among others, included a lot of painting.

She said the club could not have afforded the project had the members not volunteered.

Densberger said while he could not share the cost of the project, he noted that the volunteers saved the club a significant amount of money. For his part, Coffman estimated the savings to be around $30,000.

Coffman and Lee joined the club in 1997 shortly after getting married. Lee was the women’s club president, and Coffman said he learned to cook for large groups people in the clubhouse’s kitchen over the years.

Asked why he was willing to spend long hours volunteering at the golf club when he was already a paying member, Lee said that comes with being a part of a member-owned club.

“You just want to do what you can to make it the best place,” she said. “So that we can make it one of the best (golf courses) and affordable for people.”

John Day Golf Club 

Greens fees 

Nine holes: $20 ($17 when a guest of a member) 

18 holes: $32 ($27 when a guest of a member) 

Cart rental: $20 for nine holes and $25 for 18 

Pushcart rental: $2 

Club rentals: $5 for a complete set 

All-inclusive yearly memberships are $780 for families, $600 for individuals or $60 for students, plus a a one-time $150 initiation fee.

Social memberships, which cover entry to the clubhouse, are $60 per year.