By Design - Fall 2018

DIGEST 9 S hawn Smith, ASGCA, of Hills, Forrest & Smith has completed the second phase of a renovation project at the Oneida Golf and Country Club in Green Bay, Wisconsin. “Phase one had us rebuilding some of the most problematic bunkers from a maintenance and playability standpoint,” said Smith. “The bunkers were converted from large sand-flashed bunkers that were prone to washouts, to a more classic flat-floored bunker with steep fescue grass faces. The success of the first phase led us to a second which consisted of rebuilding all the remaining greenside bunkers and expanding the green surfaces back out to their original dimensions.” As well as improving the maintainability and playability of the course, the project has seen Smith attempt to recapture some features from the design of the course’s original golf course architect, Stanley Pelchar. “Aided primarily by an aerial photograph from 1938, we were able to largely restore the bunkering to its original flat floor and grass face character, and recapture the strategic value of the bunkers,” said Smith. Oneida completes second phase of renovation Renovation W ade Hampton Golf Club in Cashiers, North Carolina, reopened in July following an eleven-month renovation project overseen by Fazio Design. All greens have been rebuilt to USGA specification, and subsurface drainage has been re-piped and connected to the existing SubAir systems. Greens have been reseeded with Pure Distinction bentgrass, and green approaches and tees with Crystal BlueLinks bentgrass. Rough grasses have been sprayed out and reseeded with a three-seed blend of turf-type tall fescue. Greenside bunkers have been reconstructed with the Capillary Concrete bunker lining. In explaining the rationale for the changes, ASGCA Past President Tom Marzolf, ASGCA, senior project architect at Fazio Design, referenced the ASGCA’s Life Cycle Chart that details an expected lifespan of 15-30 years for greens. “Reconstructing the greens to improve the firmness of the soil mix and re-piping the subsurface drainage to increase the effectiveness of the SubAir system allowed the club to update the bentgrass to the upright, denser Pure Distinction seed variety.” Wade Hampton reopens following 11-month renovation project Renovation Fazio Design returned to the highly-ranked North Carolina club Photo: Hills, Forrest & Smith Photo: David McIntosh