Golf Course Architecture - Issue 58 October 2019

80 HOL ING OUT Golf for all Benjamin Warren of Artisan Golf Design explains how his redesign of a municipal short course in Minnesota is focused on accessibility for the entire community T here seems to be some momentum in short course development. The developers of destination resorts have proven that these facilities are popular and profitable. I consider the success stories at Goat Hill Park and Winter Park 9 to be more exciting though. Short courses are a perfect fit for urban lifestyles and can wipe their feet financially as part of a city’s golf portfolio. We’re excited to have approval for our redesign of the Chaska Par 30 course in Minnesota, which is next door to Hazeltine National. After 50 years of service the Robert Trent Jones layout needed investment. Stakeholder engagement indicated that project goals should also embrace sustainability and accessibility. Local non-profit Learning Links is raising charitable dollars to supplement public funds. Could this model be a blueprint for other cities? We’re working with elite adaptive golfer Caroline Mohr to ensure that playing features on the new Par 30 are fun and safe for golfers with disabilities. Caroline highlights the therapeutic benefits of spending time in green space, herself coming back to golf after losing her leg. “It was freeing, healing and exciting,” she said. “The golf course is a place to find your voice as a player, challenge your limits and grow. It is not only a place to practice your golf swing, but to actually deepen your knowledge about yourself, test your focus and learn about how you react to specific challenges. That’s the interesting part about golf, it goes far beyond the game on the course.” Our new design for the course retains the current par of 30 but features ten all-new golf holes. We’ll move the clubhouse over to Hazeltine Boulevard and build a Himalayas-style putting course inspired by the public putting greens in my hometown, North Berwick. These types of facilities are a tried and tested entry point to the game. Absolutely anyone can enjoy the feeling of trundling a golf ball towards a hole. There’s going to be a lot of energy around the new clubhouse. GCA Image: Learning Links