Thanks to their protests and action by the Legislature, the walk will return when the course reopens this fall.

Hurst Walk is a pedestrian path that cuts across the century-old golf course, from the jogging path on the west to a bridge over the lagoon on the east.

Workers last week began laying sod and planting grass on the course. They are expected to finish by July 1, leaving three months for the grass to grow in before the course reopens in October.

Audubon officials initially planned to eliminate Hurst Walk, citing the risk of lawsuits by walkers hit by errant golf balls. Three of the redesigned course's holes lie close to the walk.

But critics led by the organization Save Audubon Park cited the walk's closing as one of their chief grievances against the course's reconstruction, along with the building of a new clubhouse and the demolition of the park's former greenhouse.

So Audubon officials asked the Legislature to approve a law absolving the Audubon Commission, the Audubon Nature Institute and the city of New Orleans of liability for injuries to anyone using the walk, "except for intentional or grossly negligent acts" by an employee of the commission, institute or city.

The nonprofit institute operates the park and other facilities for the commission, a city agency.

The law, passed at the recent special legislative session and signed by Gov. Foster, requires Audubon to post signs at either end of Hurst Walk carrying this warning, in letters at least 4 inches high:

"You are entering an area which is within the Audubon Golf Course. This area may be dangerous and you risk being struck by golf balls or golf carts. The Audubon Commission, the city of New Orleans or any other entity which operates any facilities of the Audubon Commission, including but not limited to the Audubon Nature Institute, shall not be liable for your injury or death resulting from your use of this area. Proceed at your own risk."

In the past, a drainage ditch ran between the two lines of trees, but Stastny said the rebuilt course's improved drainage system is expected to make that area dry enough for pedestrians to use.

The park's 81-acre golf course, built in 1898, is being converted from a 5,500-yard, par-68 layout into a 4,000-yard, par-62 course. Audubon officials say the old course was outmoded and that the project will relieve safety problems and provide improved drainage and irrigation.

Rebuilding of the course began last summer. Although work is two or three weeks behind schedule, plans for the October reopening have not been changed, Stastny said.

The course's level areas, including the greens and fairways, are being sprigged, meaning small clumps of grass are being planted. Sod is being laid in uneven areas subject to erosion. But after a few weeks, Stastny said, the clumps in the sprigged areas are expected to grow together so well that they will be indistinguishable from the sodded areas.

After all the grass is planted, the only work that will be done on the course is irrigating, fertilizing and mowing.

The construction contract for the 7,800-square-foot clubhouse has been put out to bid, and work is likely to start this summer and be finished by early next year, Stastny said. A new cart shed and most of the clubhouse's parking area will be ready by October, and Audubon will provide a temporary clubhouse of some sort, he said.

At a meeting last week, the Audubon Commission approved plans to close the parking lot for the golf course's former clubhouse on Walnut Street and replace most of the asphalt in the lot with grass. The move was supported by the leaders of several nearby residential organizations.

The former cart shed near the old clubhouse will be used to store maintenance equipment for the course.