Fox Run vs. Cedar Ridge
Golf course to get new name

Independent Staff

GALLUP — Two new names for the Gallup Municipal Golf Course were selected from 63 names submitted by people hoping to win the $500 prize in the Golf Course New Name and Logo Contest sponsored by the City of Gallup.

The names chosen for final decision were "Fox Run Golf Course" and "Cedar Ridge Golf Course."

The deadline was Wednesday at 2 p.m., and all entries were received by the city clerk's office. There were more than 30 contestants and their ideas for golf course names were submitted to the voting members of the golf course committee.

The committee includes Larry Binkley, Bill Nechero, Bob Weekes, Billy Lewis, Lance Allgood, David Bischoff and Alex Alvarez.

No contestant names were given to the committee and even after the two finalists were chosen, committee members still don't know the contestant names, according to golf pro Alex Alvarez, on his golf course blogspot: www.golfingallup.blogspot.com.

Some of the names submitted were already in use by other golf courses around the Southwest, so those submissions had to be eliminated, Alvarez said in a telephone interview.

Nechero said all of the names that were submitted dealt with vegetation, like cedar or yucca, or animals.

Fox seemed to be a popular name since a number of foxes have been seen on and around the gold course at various times.

When asked why the city decided to rename the municipal golf course, Newchero said the committee felt a new name was needed.

"We now have a qualfied greens superintendent and we decided a new name would get rid of the old negativism that was associated with the course," Nechero said. Although a couple of logo entries were in line with the final two names, the committee didn't pick a winner in that contest.

It is likely that a new contest for the logo will be held once the name for the course is chosen by the mayor and city council.

The prize for the logo design is $500.

The opening day of the golf course has still not been decided, according to the site. It is dependent upon the weather and the conditions of the golf course, according to Alvarez.