The phone at the Griffin City Golf Course rang Friday morning. Head pro Charlie King answered, happy to deliver the message customers have been waiting to hear all summer: “We will reopen our greens for play on Aug. 18.”

Relegated to using temporary greens since pre-planting preparations began the first week in May, all 18 greens on the course plus the practice green were replanted on June 9 with Champion Bermuda by Champion Turf Farms out of Texas.

“Now that we’ve set a date for the 18th, we’re really looking forward to getting back on our new greens,” said King. “These Champion Bermuda greens are going to be really nice. We just can’t wait. We’re looking really, really forward to it. We want everybody to come out and enjoy them.”

King, course Superintendent Josh Pettit and the City are hoping the newly replanted greens will ultimately result in greater traffic at the 6,439-yard, par-72 municipal course built in 1932.

Pettit and his staff have meticulously tended to the new greens since day one, watering them on an hour-by-hour basis and providing whatever other care was necessary.

“I feel really confident they will be ready by then,” Pettit said of the Aug. 18 date. “There still are a few spots on these greens that need to fill in just a little bit, but I don’t see, hopefully, any major issues to keep us from off the 18th so we’re pushing for the 18th.”

“I’d say 90 percent of our greens are in great shape,” he added.

“We have the typical two or three greens that just want to be stubborn and be a little slow growing in,” said Pettit, singling out, “five, six — and eight has a few spots on it — and 10.”

Pettit and his staff have started fine tuning the greens.

“The main thing getting these spots to fill in is we aerated and top dressed real heavy just to help fill in these spots and give it some new growth from the sand,” he said.

King has noticed a huge difference in the past week, alone.

“I hit a few putts on them last week and again this week,” said King. “One week was tremendous. They made great strides. The ball was rolling much smoother. The greens are improving each day. It’s going to be very beneficial to the City of Griffin. It’s going to be really nice.”

For King, who has had little traffic while the temporary greens were in play, Aug. 18 couldn’t arrive fast enough.

“The week leading up to Aug. 18, you can call and book your tee time,” he said, of a special the course will run which will cost $20 plus tax for 18 holes and a cart. “Also we’re going to have a meet the commissioners day on that Friday afternoon at 3 p.m., to show some appreciation for their dedication to upgrading the golf course.”