Description

Alvamar, a contraction of Bob Billings’parents’ names, Alva and Margaretta, began as the first public golfcourse in Lawrence. Billings, one of Lawrence's most celebratedfigures, was a visionary that not only brought Alvamar intoexistence, but changed and grew the city of Lawrence through hismany and varied development ventures. Completed in 1968, theJayhawk and Quail Creek nines were then known as Alvamar Hills GolfCourse. Today, it's known as The Championship Course at Alvamar,which more befittingly describes its history. The ChampionshipCourse at Alvamar has hosted a number of significant championshipsover the years, including the Kansas Open, the USGA Women's PublicLinks Championship, the Big Eight & Big Twelve Championships,and numerous Kansas Golf Association and Midwest Section PGAChampionships. Alvamar was the very first golf course in the worldconstructed with zoysia grass fairways, a feat that none thoughtwas possible. This bold experiment by Mel Anderson, part owner andbuilder of the Alvamar Hills course, changed the landscape of golfthroughout the Midwest. After substantial growth and popularity,construction on a second course began in 1970. This is now what isreferred to as the Member’s Course, which was both designed andbuilt by Mel Anderson. Alvamar is one of two thirty-six holefacilities in the state of Kansas.