A
development project adjacent
to Columbia Country Club
in Missouri required the
construction of a new highway
access road, which would cut into
four of the club’s holes. Facing the
possibility of losing the property to
eminent domain, and also a request
by the developer to accept 250,000
cubic yards of fill, the club needed
to work together with the developer
and local government to find a
solution that would be acceptable to
all parties.
With a rich and proud history
stretching back to 1921 and a
reputation as one of the premier clubs
in the area, Columbia CC felt it was
essential for any redesign to yield
no loss in par or yardage. The club
turned to Jason Straka, ASGCA, who
produced a new design that would
accommodate the 250,000 cubic
yards of fill, largely to create a large,
landscaped perimeter berming that
would obscure the new road and
development from the course.
By rerouting and reconstructing
the back nine and parts of the
front nine, Straka was also able to
maintain the par and even lengthen
the course by 200 yards.
Furthermore, the work provided the
opportunity to restore Army Corps of
Engineers jurisdictional streams on
two holes to improve the urban water
quality flowing through the course.
During this process, parts of the
development fill were used to raise
playing surfaces out of floodplains to
improve drainage and maintenance
of the course.
Straka says: “In the end, the club
not only saved itself but added
significant numbers of members
with the improved course. The
environmental agencies are happy
that the environment has been
improved and the local government
and community are benefitting from
the team solution.”
Location:
Columbia, Missouri
Architect:
Jason Straka, ASGCA
Fry/Straka Global Golf Course Design
Project summary:
Development of land adjacent to
Columbia Country Club meant a new
highway access road was needed,
which would cut into four holes on
the course. The club turned to Jason
Straka, ASGCA for a new routing and
remodeling that would allow for the
land transfer.
Partners:
Wadsworth Golf Construction
Profile Products
Jacklin Seed
Sand Trapper
Advanced Drainage Systems
Rain Bird
Tee-2-Green
Eagle Golf
Streams have been restored to improve the
water quality flowing through the course
COLUMBIA CC
“In the end, the club
not only saved itself
but added significant
numbers of
members with the
improved course”
13
Photos: © 2013, Dave Sansom
