The transformation of Poco Creek GC

Just three years ago, Poco Creek Golf Course was in the rough -- not where a golfer wants to be. Thirty-six months later, finding a tee time at Aurora’s nine-hole course can often be more challenging than hitting a ball into the creek.
Several moves by the Poco Creek board of directors, including but not limited to hiring new superintendent Justin Kosmicki, has revitalized and rejuvenated a course that has recently started its second century of existence. 
Poco Creek board president Curran Vetter reported that the push behind multiple upgrades over the past five years started with the new clubhouse, which was announced in late 2020 and officially opened in mid-2022. Once the clubhouse was built and unveiled, disaster struck the golf course when Poco Creek’s greens essentially died. 
“That meant it was the golf course’s turn for a remodel,” Vetter pointed out. “With some consulting and a few of our members leading the way, we got the greens re-done and it’s just been a process since then.”
Landscapes Unlimited out of Lincoln offered assessment of the course and helped provide a pathway to revitalizing the greens.
Poco Creek’s greens were converted from sand to grass during the 1960s and the re-birth of the greens within the last few years was the next major update.
The process included killing the greens with treatment. While the course remained open with temporary greens, the actual greens were not used for over half a year. 
Work included grinding up the top several inches of the greens, turned everything to topsoil. 
The seed went in during the fall and with a lot of time and care, came roaring back in the early summer of 2023. 
Another huge update at the course includes a new irrigation system that ran up into the six figures. As Vetter noted, the board just kept running into things that needed a touch-up.
Vetter gave huge credit to new course superintendent Justin Kosmicki, who joined Poco Creek nearly a year ago to date. 
Upon his arrival, the course was still upgrading a few things here and there, like the irrigation, but he loved the potential with the course.
“Everything was very green and healthy,” he recalled. “My biggest takeaway was just seeing the course. Everything was healthy, it just needed to be treated better.”
Obviously, Kosmicki’s other huge challenge was with the greens and getting those nine holes across the finish line.
“The greens just seemed like something that no one could figure out,” Kosmicki said. “My thought was, what can I do with my experience to get them playable and to my liking. It’s been hard work since.”

The Kosmicki touch
Attention to detail is something that drives Kosmicki, whether it be on a mower or planting flowers.
It was one of the things that blew away the board of directors during the hiring process a year ago and made the former Fullerton course superintendent an easy hire. 
“His knowledge from chemicals to fertilizers to the process and what he wanted to do was very refreshing,” Vetter explained. “He was looking to stay with a small, community nine-hole course. It’s not easy being a superintendent and you have to have thick skin sometimes.”
When Kosmicki started last August, he attacked the weeds around the course and began seeding six of the nine fairways completely. 
He noted that an extended fall last year with warmer temperatures into December really helped the overseed take hold.
From there, the course was shut down entirely for the winter, which Kosmicki noted really set the course up for success once spring rolled around. 
“Everything we did last fall survived and thrived,” he shared. “That gave me more freedom to focus on the greens and how can I get them to be firmer, faster, just more playable. That wasn’t too hard of a process.”
The support from membership and the like has been something Kosmicki really enjoyed, allowing him to attack the course how he saw fit and giving him free reign to try a few things.
“Seeing the support this place has was a big thing to me,” Kosmicki said. “When it came down to the golf course, I knew it was going to take a lot of hard work and that got me really excited.”
Kosmicki noted it’s been a challenge to get the greens to where he’s happy with the playability. 
“We have a lot of traffic through here with tournaments and stuff,” Kosmicki said. “For the greens to come back 90 percent was a pretty cool thing and that’s hats off to everybody.”
Vetter agreed, noting one of the biggest compliments from both members and guests has been the greenness of the course.
“We have grass coming in on fairways and places we never thought we would ever see grass again,” Vetter said. “The fairway on No. 2 that runs up to the green, asking why didn’t we ever mow this in the last 50 years? Same thing with No. 5. It’s little spots that with fresh eyes on it, really brought out the playability and enjoyment of the course.”
Kosmicki enjoys conversations with golfers throughout the day, often sharing their delight with how the course not only looks, but plays. 
Things like, “It feels like a real golf course,” or “Poco has never looked this good,” and even “The greens feel pure and a fun challenge.”
“Everyone has been super supporting and excited about the future,” Kosmicki said. “I get excited the more everyone else gets excited. If I come out here every day and take care of a course and nobody cares, I’ll stop caring. A lot of people care about this place.”
As far as Kosmicki’s work schedule, it’s chaotic and never the same twice. On some days, he’s the first on the course at 4:30 a.m. spraying and handling maintenance throughout the day.
However, he said it wouldn’t nearly be possible without some help on mowers and such from his staff. 
“It takes a crew to make a course look like this,” he said. “We have mowers out there at 6:30 a.m. with greens every day and fairways every other day. I usually like to get behind them and roll the greens.”
Kosmicki said with all the summer rain, it’s made things a lot easier and allowed him to focus on other areas at the same time.

Playing through
Ashley Freeman, Poco Creek’s clubhouse manager, noted that as the golf course has come back to life, so has the traffic and tee sheets. 
Freeman reported that the single best day of the year so far for 2025 was Father’s Day in June with 158 rounds of golf that Sunday. 
“I’ve seen more traffic on this course than I ever have on ones I’ve worked with,” Kosmicki said. “I’ve had to change my methods on how I take care of it because there are guys out here at 8 a.m. It’s cool to see leagues and tournaments fill up without hesitation.”
Freeman also said there’s been plenty of momentum around the youth golf scene, including the new turf practice facility, several youth camps with Aurora golf coach Craig Badura and junior tees around the course. 
“Kids can sign up online and only pay $4 for a round of golf,” she said. “We have a lot of utilization of that. We also have the adult-youth tournament every year and just a lot of kids on the course.”
The trio shared that with increased traffic and membership, the course has now been able to take that income and pour it right back into the course, letting Kosmicki continue to improve play. 
“It all helps, right?” Kosmicki said. “What I am doing probably has cost more money than a year ago. It’s good to have the income to pay the bills and keep improving.”
Freeman noted that with the elevated traffic, it’s been a challenge balancing that with the membership group, but said the staff has done a great job of making the puzzle fit.
“We want to honor those who have booked online first, but if we can fit our members in, we want to do that, too,” Freeman said. “It can be challenging, especially the weekends.”
The group also mentioned the high traffic things like the Big Red Golf Tours has provided, which has 100-plus Nebraska golf courses included.
With the book, green fees are waived and golfers only pay the cart fee. Kosmicki said there could be upwards of 8 to 10 of those a day. 
“It’s a great way to get people off I-80 and see our little course,” he said.
“Folks that came last year and then back this year have said the course is night and day different,” Freeman added. “A couple from York recently was blown away and said they’d be back the following weekend. People are noticing the differences.”
Vetter said there are no plans on slowing down, either. 
“I was playing with another board member and they brought up the idea of becoming one of the best nine-holes in the state,” he stated. “I kind of laughed along and he looked back at me like, ‘Why not?’ If you can get momentum and a reputation, you just want to be well thought of outside the Aurora golf community. We want to fill up our tee times and give the locals something to be proud of.”

Community clubhouse
As for the clubhouse, Freeman said the response to its usage has been tremendous over the past three years, with graduations being one of the  year’s major highlights.
“I think we’re booked on graduations until 2028 or 2029,” she said. “Reunions, baby showers, bridal showers, and a wedding next year. It’s a nice space to use and I’m glad we have it in the community.”
Vetter recalled when the idea for a new clubhouse came around, it was with the entire community in mind, not just local golfers.
“We want everyone to use this,” Vetter said, extending his arms. “Some people may have questioned that at first, but it is truly for everyone. It gets used for almost anything.”
Kosmicki said the clubhouse was a selling point to him when he interviewed for the superintendent position, noting how unique it is for the community.
“It’s the first thing you see when you drive up,” he said. “The whole point was to get the golf course to match its ‘Wow’ factor. 
Freeman reported that there’s been plenty of use with the clubhouse, averaging around six rentals per month throughout the year, including the winter months. 
It’s been a roller coaster ride for Poco Creek in the last five years, but Vetter, Freeman and Kosmicki all agreed the course is in arguably the best shape it’s ever been. Now, the goal is to maintain that standard. 
“I’m proud of it and I think anyone on the board for the last few years feels the same way,” Vetter said. “It’s been a long time coming and all of our members and community should be proud of it. 
“It’s been really nice to hear from our members about how great the course looks,” Kosmicki added. “It’s also good to hear from people from surrounding communities, too. We want them to come and then come back.”