Golf Course Update
December, 2025
by Renee Fite
City of Stilwell Director of Public Relations and Media
The golf course at Carson Park is expected to be ready for golfers in late spring or early summer of 2026. It’s not unusual for a major project to take longer than hoped, but the completion is in sight.
Additional funding has been needed, and the Carson Foundation has stepped up to assist. Jim and Drew Carson have provided $100,000 through the Carson Foundation.
Jim Carson said the golf course will increase the Edna M. Carson Park usage and provide additional recreation possibilities at the park.
“Golf is a lifelong sport and having a golf course in Stilwell will allow more children to learn the game which fits the Tom J. and Edna M. Carson Foundation goal to assist children. This allows children to learn the game and possibly play golf their entire lives providing physical exercise and mental health,” said Carson.
Mayor Jean Ann Wright said she’s looking forward to seeing the golf course open for citizens to enjoy.
Above: Jim Carson presents a check for $100,000 to Mayor Jean Ann Wright from the Carson Foundation for work at the golf course in progress at Edna M. Carson Park.
photo: Renee Fite
“The City is glad to be a partner in this project that will serve our student golfers, community and give people a reason to visit Stilwell. It will be a wonderful addition to our park,” said Wright.
A committee member, Robert St. Pierre, said hopefully they will be starting on the greens soon and working on irrigation.
“We don’t have a date of opening scheduled yet, hopefully late spring,” St. Pierre said.
Committee chair Liz Brown knows how important activities are for youth and keeping them out of her courtroom. She sees the advantage for students to have a place in town to practice rather than driving to Tahlequah. And she knows there are scholarships in golf that go unused every year at colleges around the United States.
“Lots of progress on the golf course, the pond construction is completed. The first phase for greens and tee boxes is complete. And a bid has been awarded for the installation of turf,” said Brown.
The work will begin when weather permits.
“There are still a few hole sponsorships available and some trash receptacles. People can contact me if interested, Brown said.
“The completion date really depends on the weather. Our goal is early summer.”
Contact Brown at (918) 696-0674 for sponsorship or donation information.
Golf Course Progress
January, 2025 update
Golf is enjoyed by people from 3 to 103, said Liz Brown.
A cheerleader for the golf course in progress at Carson Park, Brown said it’s a benefit to the city and citizens in many ways, like giving people a reason to visit.
It also will be a perk for students.
“There are number of scholarships available to our students that go unused for golf. Our students have to be bussed to even practice golf,” said Brown.
Community partners have helped make this golf course dream a reality.
“Cherokee Nation, Stilwell Utilities and Adair County have stepped up, with in-kind help from the City of Stilwell and Stilwell Utilities,” Brown said.
Above: City crews at Carson Park were working to reshape the pond.
photo: Renee Fite
Above: Warm weather was a good opportunity to pump water out of the pond at Carson Park, where the new golf course will be located.
photo: Renee Fite
Located at the north end of Carson Park, it will be a 9 hole, par 3 course with synthetic greens, which will require maintenance, said Brown.
Assets to and fundraisers for the golf course have been metal tables and trash receptacles donors can personalize like the ones at Fletcher Park.
“We have five holes potentially left people can purchase and name, trash receptacles and a few tables. I will double check, but I think all benches are sold,” Brown said.
There is still time to purchase a hole, said Robert St. Pierre, an investor in the golf course.
“It will be a terrific addition to Stilwell and Carson Park. It gives the City the opportunity to further promote the park with 9-hole tournaments, which brings in sales tax dollars,” St. Pierre said.
The golf course will be another reason to spend time outdoors enjoying one of Stilwell’s beautiful parks. It will have attractive and functional landscaping features, including the pond.
“The pond will have a liner and a decorative rock wall,” said St. Pierre.
It will not be sufficiently lit up at night to play, he said.
Lighting may be a future addition, said Brown.
Always looking for opportunities to improve Stilwell, Mayor Jean Ann Wright sees the golf course as another opportunity to invest in the town and its citizens, especially youth.
“Golf is a fun, healthy activity that all Adair County residents, of every age, will be encouraged to join in,” said Wright. “Our local school golf teams will be able to practice here, without having to travel outside the county to practice.”
There will be specific times set aside for school practice, but it will mostly be available for the public, said the mayor.
Another partner, Stilwell Utilities General Manager Brad Doublehead
also sees the opportunities the golf course will bring to his hometown.
“It’s a benefit to the community because it provides the youth with another activity that they can participate in, and will also allow our golf athletes at SHS to not have to travel to Tahlequah every day to practice. It also provides another alternative for people to be active and participate in a family friendly activity,” said Doublehead.
As far as an estimated completion date, that will depend upon the weather, he said.
“And how much manpower we and the City can allocate to the project while also taking care of our day to day duties,” Doublehead said.
Anyone interested in purchasing a hole or items for the golf course, or making a donation to the project, can contact Judge Liz Brown at the Adair County Courthouse.
