Williston Municipal Golf Course Expansion Project

Williston’s Beloved ‘Muni’ Poised for Transformation

The Williston Municipal Golf Course, fondly known as “The Muni,” has long served as a favorite summer destination for residents and visitors, offering a welcoming place to enjoy the outdoors, connect with family and friends, and play golf. After years of community input, the Williston Parks & Recreation is moving forward with a major expansion and redesign that will transform the course from 9 to 18 holes while enhancing the overall player experience and attracting new users to this valued community asset.

Duininck Golf is actively engaged in construction services, with work now underway in areas beyond the existing nine holes as part of a phased expansion. This approach allows the course to remain operational through the 2026 summer season before officially closing on September 8, 2026, to allow for full-scale construction. The course will remain closed during the 2027 season to support efficient delivery of both horizontal and vertical improvements while reducing remobilization costs.

The CMAR for vertical facilities will be announced in June 2026, with vertical construction anticipated to begin in Fall 2026. WPRD will continue utilizing the Request for Qualifications (RFQ) process to select qualified professional partners in accordance with North Dakota law.

The golf course design is led by Norby Golf Course Design, with an overall project budget estimated at $18–22 million. The expansion is supported by strong community backing, including 82% voter approval to renew WPRD’s 1% sales tax on June 10, 2025, reflecting broad support for reinvestment in this community asset.

While substantial completion is expected in Fall 2027, the project is targeting a July 2028 reopening of the fully renovated 18-hole course. This additional grow-in period will allow turf and vegetation to mature properly before the course opens to full play.

Expansion Project Team & Roles

Owner: Williston Parks & Recreation District (WPRD)
CMAR – Horizontal Construction: Duininck Golf
Golf Course Architect: Norby Golf Course Design
CMAR – Vertical Construction: FCI Constructors
Architectural & Vertical Facility Design: Stone Group Architects
Civil & Stormwater Engineer: Alliance Consulting
Water Reuse & Utility Engineer: AE2S
Utility Providers & Engineering: City of Williston

An Update on the Current Course Conditions

We’ve heard your questions and concerns about the recent changes in the grass at the Williston Municipal Golf Course, and we want to provide some additional context about what you’re seeing and why this work is happening while the course is still open.

Construction on the new course is already underway in areas outside of the current nine holes. Once the current course closes, crews will be able to move into the current playable area and begin the major earthwork needed to transform that area into what it will become. The last day of golfing at the current course will be Labor Day, September 7, 2026.

As part of preparing the current nine holes for that work, the existing grass and vegetation must be terminated before earthwork can begin. The first application took place on August 2 and 3, and another application will take place before the end of August. These applications need time to fully work, which is why they cannot wait until after the course closes. Waiting until then would delay construction, push back key project timelines, and increase overall project costs.

For those who have asked what was applied, the treatment included a glyphosate based herbicide and a surfactant, which helps the herbicide adhere to and effectively treat the existing vegetation. This application is part of the planned vegetation removal necessary to prepare the area for upcoming earthwork.

We understand it can be disappointing to see portions of the course begin to turn brown during these final weeks. However, the alternative would have been to close the course earlier so this necessary preparation could take place without golfers on the course. Instead, we chose to begin the process while keeping the course open, giving our golfing community an additional month to play and enjoy the Muni before it closes.

While the appearance of the course will continue to change, it remains open. Our goal is to give golfers as much time on the current course as possible while also making sure the new course stays on schedule.

We know this course means a lot to our community, and seeing it change is bittersweet. But every change you see is another step toward what’s ahead. We appreciate your patience and understanding as we make this transition and prepare for the future of golf in Williston.