After Kirk Porter bought the Montgomery County Golf Club on Jan. 31, he didn’t waste time making plans on fixing it up.

First, the St. Charles resident renamed it Wildcat Golf Course. Then, he got the swimming pool taken out to expand the parking area and got more than 90 trees cut down.

“The golf course needs some work, so we’re fixing that up,” Porter said. “We’re fixing the pump station up, fixing the clubhouse up and taking the pool out. The pool has not been in use for 18 years. We have new software coming in, so people can book tee times online. We’re also still selling memberships, so people can still be a member there. Obviously, we’re going to promote memberships and open play.”

Porter teamed up with John Rufkahr, Jr. to make the purchase of the nine-hole golf course, located on the southwest portion of Montgomery City. They also own Bear Creek Golf Course in Warrenton, Sun Valley Golf Course in Elsberry and Warrenton Golf Course.

“We bought the Warrenton course in 2020 and we liked the Warrenton area,” Porter said. “Country Lake Golf Course in Warrenton was shut down at the end of (2023). When this course (in Montgomery City) became available, we went and looked at it. We thought that since we’re already operating a course within 20 miles of it, this would fit right into our portfolio.”

Porter said he decided to buy the golf course because of its great location and its small-town atmosphere.

“We like the area and it’s a small town,” Porter said. “The city is working with us. They helped us get situated and they’ve been very helpful in doing this. So we’re kind of excited about it. We think there’s some growth coming in that area really soon. We think a lot of young families will start moving there once they realize the taxes and housing have gone up in cities like Wentzville and Warrenton. They’ll be moving more west.”

The golf course was renamed after the athletic program at Montgomery County High School. The school’s golf team plays its matches during the spring season.

“The name Montgomery County Golf Club is pretty long and most people don’t like to do a lot of talking,” Porter said. “So by shortening the name, it will be a lot easier for these young people to get the name out.”

Porter has been in the golf management business for most of his life. When he was a teenager, he worked at the St. Andrews Golf Club in St. Charles. He later became general manager there.

Golf lessons will be held at the Wildcat Golf Course. Leagues and golf tournament forms will be in the pro shop and on the website (www.wildcatgc.com) soon.

“We’ll start hosting more tournaments there because we’re opening up a big area for people to sit afterwards to eat and drink,” said Porter, who is a PGA professional. “We’re going to expand the snack bar area and we’re going to staff it on a regular basis. In other words, it hasn’t been staffed. People have been putting money in envelopes, so we’re now going to staff it during the busy times.”

Porter said he and his partner have been getting plenty of support for the City of Montgomery.

“So far, it’s a great relationship,” Porter said. “That’s what helped make this decision (of purchasing it) because nobody doesn’t wants to start or take over a business in a city where no one is friendly, no one is talking to you or nobody wants to help. It takes a lot of people to get something like this turned around because the golf course has been going downward for years, not being maintained properly. It’s going to be a fixer-upper. But that’s what I do. I like the challenge.”

Porter said the golf course will be ready to play by April 1 once improvements have been made.