Man tearing down his home to build inner city golf course

Fox4 reports that a Kansas City man is trying to bring golf to the urban core of Kansas City, and he plans to tear down his own home to do it.

Christopher Harris built a park across the street from his home 20 years ago but has wanted to bring golf to the neighborhood surrounding 40th and Wayne Avenue.

“We’ve been tearing down houses on this block for a long time. We are down to the last two,” Harris said.

One of them is his home, the home his parents purchased almost 50 years ago.

“My mom and dad might not be too happy with that, but we got to tear their home down to make another green,” he said.

The only golf there’s ever been at 40th and Wayne is the five-hole miniature golf course Harris created at Harris Park. Steven Coleman was enjoying that course Tuesday with Trevion, his 13-year-old little brother through Big Brothers and Sisters of America.

“A lot of these kids around here, they don’t have a chance to play golf, and golf can be kind of pricey, too,” Coleman said.

In a couple months, the pair hope to play the brand new pitch and putt course Harris is creating through partnerships with Big Brothers and Big Sisters of America and the First Tee program. It will have three greens with various hole locations and nine tees.

“When I first started, I had no clue on how to build a golf course, but I’m able to see it now,” Harris said proudly, standing in an area where a tee box was being leveled.

For Harris, the course isn’t just about golf. It’s also about creating opportunity and beauty in a neighborhood not traditionally known for either.

“We’re starting here on 40th and Wayne, and we want to feed out on beautification throughout the neighborhood,” he said.