Harding Park ready for its international close-up

By J.K. Dineen
Published: Wednesday, September 21, 2005 10:58 PM PDT

It's crunch time for the 18 gardeners charged with ensuring that Harding Park golf course is as spectacular as the 70 world-class golfers that will be descending on it Oct. 4.

Gardeners are currently putting the final touches on the landscaping around the new clubhouse.

"They are growing up the roughs and the tees will be moved back," said Recreation and Park department spokeswoman Rose Marie Dennis. "The turf will be in tournament condition."

Harding Park will close to the public as of Sept. 26 in preparation for the tournament. The Harding Park picnic area and paths will close to the public on Oct. 1.

The run-down Lake Merced Boathouse will be covered and blocked from view, although Dennis said she didn't know exactly how.

"It will be something more sexy to the eye," she said. "The whole area is looking so great we don't want some dilapidated building in the middle of it."

Dennis said as many as 100,000 spectators are expected and that television crews from 33 countries would be covering the tournament.

"It will be a truly historical time in the city and county of San Francisco," she said.