19
T
he largest state project in
Delaware’s history was the
transformation of the interchange
between the I-95 freeway and Route
202, in the city of Wilmington. Rock
Manor Golf Course, which opened
in 1922, was for years the city’s only
municipal golf course. It is situated
directly alongside the interchange,
and had been encroached upon over
the years as the highways expanded,
reducing it to a par 67 of 5,600 yards. It
was expected to be lost entirely as part
of the new construction project.
However, the city asked George Golf
Design (GGD) to create a master
plan for the course that could work
within the multiple constraints of the
project. GGD would also coordinate
management of the requirements of
more than ten government agencies.
The course is adjacent to the local
drinking water supply and residential
developments. A key requirement
was for the site to become part of
the flood attenuation solution for
the area. The nearby Matson Run
Watershed had flooded following
Hurricane Hugo, and loss-of-life was
a reality for nearby residents.
GGD oversaw this huge and
challenging engineering project,
and managed to create a 6,400 yard,
par-71 layout that fulfilled all the
infrastructure requirements and won
several design awards in the process.
“Creating flood attenuation working
around utilities and routing around
a major interchange challenged us
to produce something playable,
fun, beautiful and environmentally
improved,” says Lester George, ASGCA.
Location:
Wilmington, Delaware
Architect:
Lester George, ASGCA
George Golf Design, Inc.
Project summary:
A huge infrastructure project in
Delaware looked set to spell the end
for Wilmington’s historic municipal
golf course, Rock Manor. But Lester
George, ASGCA stepped in to help the
city retain and improve the golf course,
despite the multitude of constraints
created by highway construction work.
Partners:
Wadsworth Golf Construction
Rock Manor Golf Course was engineered to provide flood attenuation for the local area
ROCK MANOR GC
Photos: Joe Bausch
