By Design - Spring 2019

DIGEST 9 Photo: Delhi Golf Club G ary Player Design is to redesign all green complexes on the Lodhi course at Delhi olf Club in New Delhi, India, as part of a renovation project which began in March. “It is a parkland style golf course with minimal topography but does have dense vegetation that borders every hole,” said Jeff Lawrence, ASGCA, vice president and senior designer of Gary Player Design. Lawrence said that greens are past their lifecycle, so the project will see all 18, plus two practice greens, redesigned. “We intend to maintain the same overall historic character, but implement meaningful design enhancements to improve strategy, maintainability and visual aesthetics. “The opportunity to make a meaningful and lasting improvement to Delhi GC that will serve the wide variety of their members is our primary goal. “The club intends to keep the course open for play during the renovation project. The in-depth planning process and overall commitment of Delhi GC will allow the team to execute the work to the highest standards and within an aggressive time frame.” Work is expected to be completed by October. Historic Delhi layout gets makeover New golf course Colligan designs new Texas Rangers course T exas Rangers Golf Club opened in late February, with a new course designed by Colligan Golf Design on the site of the former Chester W. Ditto golf course in Arlington, Texas. The municipal facility is the first club to tie in with a Major League Baseball team, inspired by the success of the first ever National Football League-themed golf club, Cowboys Golf Club, in nearby Grapevine, from ASGCA Past President Jeff Brauer. The city negotiated the branding partnership with the Texas Rangers to attract residents and visitors to the course. “As the world’s only MLB-themed golf course, this course is sure to be a ‘bucket list’ item for baseball fans across the globe, especially our Rangers fan right here in Arlington,” said city mayor Jeff Williams. Construction work finished in October 2017 with the course growing in over the past year. Renovation “One of the primary reasons for rerouting the course was to take advantage of the 55 feet of elevation change the site has to offer,” said John Colligan, ASGCA. “The first tee sits some 45 feet above the lowest spot on the fairway. “Only five holes utilize corridors from the old routing and the course now measures over 7,000 yards from the back tees per the city’s requests.” One of the baseball-inspired features on the course is an ‘on-deck circle.’ “In baseball, the on-deck circle is where the next batter warms up while the batter is at home plate facing the pitcher,” said Colligan. “At Texas Rangers GC, the on-deck circle is a 30-foot circle of artificial turf adjacent to the first tee where the next group can warm up by hitting shots at the targets within the driving range. This on-deck circle has the colors and shape of the Texas Rangers logo.” Photo: Trey Kemp