By TIM HORAN

City/County Editor

Abilene’s two golf courses took on a “hometown ownership,” last week.

Garrett Rediker said he, along with Evan and Annette Wilson of Abilene, purchased the GreatLife Abilene and GreatLife Chisholm Trail golf courses along with the GreatLife Junction City course.

Rediker said this morning that operations would stay the same at all three locations, as they will remain with the GreatLife franchise. All of the GreatLife Golf and Fitness centers are reciprocal and the Abilene courses will remain under the GreatLife umbrella.

“We like what GreatLife does, we like the fact they have put a system together to allow the golf courses to remain,” Rediker said.

“We thought the ones around our local area, that we grew up around, could use a little hometown touch, hometown care and we can put a better product out there for the membership and the community.

“The price structure will remain the same,” he said. “The business model, the basic operations will stay the same.”

Both the Junction City and Abilene courses offer state-of-the art fitness equipment.

Rediker said he was unsure about the operations of the Ninth Hole Bar and Grill restaurant located at the Abilene course.

The first big project will be replacing the fairways at the Abilene course.

“We are in the process of negotiating with GreatLife to put zoysia in this spring on all nine holes at Abilene,” Rediker said. “That’s probably the biggest project.”

Zoysia is a creeping grass that will better handle the Kansas heat and requires less water.

GreatLife purchased the Abilene Country Club in early 2011.