17
The new-look golf course on the
campus of Texas A&M University,
renovated by Jeff Blume, ASGCA, is
set to open in late October.
Blume’s redesigned course, par 71
and just over 7,000 yards in length,
will include 158 bunkers.
“We intended it to be an early-
American style golf course, something
that harkens back to the designs of
Seth Raynor, CB Macdonald and AW
Tillinghast,” says Blume. “They were
really the pioneers of golf course
design in the United States. Theirs
was outstanding work: we wanted to
do something that really pays homage
to them, and I think we’ve done that.”
The elevated greens create a lot of
interesting chip shots and playability
factors around the putting surfaces
that I think people will enjoy. The wide
fairways are generous and the idea is to
get people around this course in four
and a half hours.
Blume has sandcapped the clay soil
of the course’s fairways to improve
its drainage, while restricting the
contouring and mounding of the
property to make maintenance easier
for the university’s greens crew. The
original course opened in 1950.
OCTOBER OPENING
FOR TEXAS A&M
Palos Verdes Golf Club in Los Angeles
recently completed a renovation headed
by Todd Eckenrode, ASGCA Associate and
his firm Origins Golf Design.
The work included improved bunkering
across the course, new chipping areas
on every hole, and greens replaced and
extended on specific holes.
Originally designed by architects
George Thomas and William Bell in
1924, the course is designed with a
focus on accuracy and shot-making, and
features extensive use of natural hazards.
Eckenrode says the renovations aim to
improve playability and course interest,
while keeping the integrity of the original
design, which includes keeping a focus on
the coastal views.
“The views alone make playing this
course a magnificent experience, and the
updates to the bunkers, greens, tees and
new chipping areas have our members
buzzing with anticipation and excitement,”
said Steve Hockett, general manager and
chief operating officer at Palos Verdes.
“Our superintendent Pat Gradoville and
his expert staff, along with a world-class
team of consultants including golf course
architect Todd Eckenrode and his team
at Origins Golf Design, who specialise in
classic golf course design, and Oliphant
Golf Course Construction, have all worked
together to ensure that the end result is
improved conditioning and playability,
which stays true to the original treasured
and historic design.”
CHIPPING AREAS FEATURE AT PALOS VERDES
Columbia Country Club in Missouri has
reopened its course following extensive
redesign work led by architect Jason Straka,
ASGCA, of the Fry/Straka firm. Dana Fry,
ASGCA, is the firm’s other principal.
Ten holes were rebuilt or rerouted, and
the remaining eight holes and the practice
facility were renovated. In addition,
2,000 feet of Army Corps of Engineers
jurisdictional stream were restored on
two holes, adding to the environmental
benefits of the renovated golf course.
A number of challenging factors
required consideration as Straka drew
up plans for the redesign. The course is
landlocked by surrounding development
roads, freeways and an abandoned
Missouri Department of Transportation
site. It is also bisected by a small river,
which courses through a deep ravine.
As the golf course originally was built
in the 1920s, the property on which it
is situated is quite small. Over the past
few years, a resurgence in commercial
development along the course’s
southeastern boundary began. Municipal
decisions, such as a new freeway exit,
a new bridge spanning the river and a
new access road, directly impacted the
golf course, taking out a portion of three
holes. Consequently, all of the back nine
holes had to be redesigned and some
holes completely relocated in order to
keep the overall yardage. The rebuilt
holes feature significantly-improved
drainage, irrigation, turf-growing
conditions, aesthetics and playability.
The new holes are wider and more
playable, yet shots into the greens can
be demanding. The course now ranges
from 4,702 to 6,527 yards. Stilling pools
were created throughout the streams to
control sedimentation, and hundreds
of native riparian plants were installed
along the streams.
Furthermore, a commercial
development resurgence has taken place
in recent years on the south-eastern
boundary of the course. This meant that
the back nine holes had to be redesigned
and some holes completely relocated in
order to keep the overall yardage.
MORE PLAYABILITY AT COLUMBIA
Texas A&M’s new course opens in October
Columbia CC’s renovation has seen improvements to drainage, irrigation, turf, aesthetics and playability
