Winter Park Golf Course—affectionately known as the WP9 to locals—has hit an unexpected rough patch. In April, a maintenance worker accidentally applied herbicide to the greens, with devastating results. The beloved nine-hole municipal course near Orlando was forced to close its doors, leaving the community heartbroken. But here's the good news: the city is committed to restoring this gem to its former glory, and renowned architects Riley Johns and Keith Rhebb are already on site, rebuilding the greens and revamping the bunkers.

This isn't the first time Johns and Rhebb have worked their magic here. A decade ago, they led a $1.2 million renovation that transformed the 2,480-yard layout into a municipal masterpiece. Since then, Winter Park 9 has become a profit-driver for the city and an inspiration for public golf projects everywhere. The course's signature pop-up greens feature dramatic slopes that perfectly complement the compact hole designs, offering a unique challenge that keeps players coming back. Dating back to 1917 as part of a larger golf complex, the course is also a proud member of the Florida Historic Golf Trail.

"After an unfortunate chemical incident which rendered all the greens at WP9 unalive, @KeithRhebb and I find ourselves back on site for the remodel's 10-year anniversary—almost to the day," Johns shared on social media. "Rest assured, the new greens will be better than ever, with a full bunker reno to boot."

The restoration comes at a modest cost of $70,000, covering both the greens and bunker updates. The course closed on April 27 but will reopen on May 18 with temporary greens in place. Full play is expected to resume by mid-July. For fans of the local golf scene, the highlight of the year—the 18-hole Winter Park Amateur Golf Championship, where players tackle nine holes each over two days—has been rescheduled from May to the fall. It's a small delay for a course that, once restored, will be better than ever.