Last Saturday, Ron Bivens had something in common with Catawba football coach David Bennett.

He was nervous. On this one day, his team would be judged on months of preparation and hopefully, in the end, it would come out a winner.

For the record, Bennett’s team won last Saturday, 59-0.

Bivens’ team, in a sense, threw a shutout too.

Bivens is the superintendent at the Country Club of Salisbury. And his team is the crew that helped rebuild the back nine, a project that started Jan. 15. Saturday was the first day the Country Club members could try out the back nine, complete with twice as many bunkers, newly built greens and improvements to all tee boxes. It was a million-dollar-plus project.

And like Bennett, the “coach of the golf course” was being patted on the back when the day was done.

“Everybody said it was wonderful,” Bivens smiled. “They said the back was more fun to play.”

But it wasn’t until darkness enveloped the course that Bivens relaxed.

“I put too much pressure on myself,” he chuckled Monday morning. “That’s just the way I am. The ol’ saying goes, ‘You’re only as good as your crew.’ And I have a super crew.”

To go with a super back nine.

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The Donald Ross course was built in 1927, but Ross only designed the front nine. Members wanted the back to look more like the front, so architect Brian Silva was hired and took the design from one side to the other.

On Jan. 15, “Coach Bivens” started his training camp. His “players,” who included assistant Chris Hester, came in all shapes and sizes and were versatile, to say the least.

If Mike Neely, Jim Hutchinson and Jeff Cochrane weren’t moving dirt, then Joel Taylor, Brent Watson and John Sigmon were building new greens.

If Terry Smith, Craig Miller and John Hazzard weren’t relocating new greens, then Lee Linville, Kathy Lowe, Brian Hinson and Boger Hartsell were raising them.

“I talked to the crew before the membership decided to do this to see if they were going to stick around with me,” Bivens said. “I wasn’t going to go through this without a good crew. They were here with me every minute — from daylight to dark.”

With a laugh, he added, “I’ll tell you what, there’s been a lot of separations and divorces in the supervisor business when you go into reconstruction and rebuilding a golf course.”

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The concrete cart paths are finished. Two new bridges have been built.

The blue tees are longer and the white tees have stayed the same. Bivens is proud to report all ladies tees are much nicer and bigger and senior tees have been added.

The back nine now has A-1 bent grass greens, all built to USGA specifications, which means the drainage is better. There is USGA-approved sand in the bunkers.

Speaking of sand, that’s the biggest difference on the back nine. The number of bunkers has practically doubled from 19 to 37.

“A lot of the Donald Ross bunkers don’t even come into play,” Bivens noted. “They’re visual bunkers.”

And obviously, mental. In the past, you could play the back nine with a driver and a wedge (or 8 or 9-iron). Now, a golfer must be much more selective. And you better improve your chipping skills.

“A lot of members thought their scores would get higher,” Bivens said. “They’re just going to have to hit a different shot.”

Bud Mickle tamed the back nine on Saturday, shooting a 35.

“But I went back on Sunday and it paid me back,” Mickle laughed. “Everything went haywire.

“It’s so different. It’s going to be interesting.”

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The course has served as host to the Futures (LPGA)Tour and the most famous local tournament of all — the Goode Crowder-Dorsett Four-Ball Labor Day Invitational.

The Labor Day event was scheduled for its 50th annual event this year but was called off due to reconstruction. The 50th will be played here next year.

The course is so much more impressive that events like the N.C. Open, the N.C. Amateur or senior qualifying could be played here. It’s simply up to the members.

Thanks to donations from the Hurley Family, who gave the biggest chunk of bucks, as well as many others, the back nine rivals any nine holes around.

“No. 11 (410 yards) has changed more than any hole,” Bivens said. “It used to have two bunkers. Now, it has seven.

“No. 17 (a par-three) may be the prettiest hole out here now.”

Coach Bivens and his team still have a major challenge ahead: the front nine.

It’s like a chess game now. For instance, the speed of the greens have to be close to the back nine.

Bivens reminds everyone, “We still have two different golf courses.”

In 2003, a major overhaul could begin on the front nine.

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Bivens’ players certainly met their first challenge. From January to July, they were the Three-S men. All they thought about were sprigs, seed and sod.

And because of a team effort, the Country Club boasts a Three-S golf facility. It’s super, scintillating and sensational.

“It looks so much more like a top-notch golf course,” Bivens said, seemingly content with the finished product.

Which leaves only one more thing to say.

Way to go, Coach.

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Contact Ronnie Gallagher at 704-797-4256 or rgallagher@salisburypost.com .