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One of the keys to decision-making
about the renovation was Toro’s
PrecisionSense™ service, which was
used to map the course to quantify
soil moisture, acidity, topographical
aspect and other factors related to
water use.
This type of information allowed the
architects to make design decisions
that would also have a positive
effect on water. The renovation
project saw a reduction in the area
of irrigated turf from 82 to 62 acres
(despite widening fairways and the
total course being lengthened from
6,857 to more than 7,000 yards). A
five inch layer of sand was added to
the course, improving drainage and
allowing newly selected grasses to
thrive with less water. A pond was
removed–reducing loss of water
through evaporation–and a natural
creek that had been buried during
original construction was restored.
“The course is now much more
natural. It’s part of the land instead of
being forced. The doglegs have been
softened and the severity of green
contours refined,” says Seward.
The great success of projects like
Poppy Hills is achieving the dual
goals of environmental responsibility
and improved playability. Most
golfers who visit will notice how
comfortably the course sits within
its surroundings, the firmer surfaces,
the removal of rough or the reshaped
fairways and greens–all of which
enhance the playing experience.
What they won’t necessarily
realise is that all of these features
also contribute to improving
environmental sustainability, by
allowing for the more efficient
movement and usage of water
throughout the course.
Poppy Hills has achieved something
very special indeed–early visitors
have compared it to another widely
acclaimed golf design project of
recent years–the Pinehurst No. 2
course renovated by Ben Crenshaw
and Bill Coore, ASGCA which this
year successfully hosted back-to-back
U.S. Opens. Poppy Hills will host
the Champions Tour later this year,
but perhaps more importantly it
also provides the golfers of northern
California with a venue that stands
proudly alongside its famous–and
less accessible–neighbours.
To find out more about the Poppy Hills
renovation, read the
renovation post on
the NCGA website
or download the
RTJ
II case study on water conservation
.
New soil moisture technologies were used to
help make design decisions that would have a
positive effect on water
Images: Joann Dost, courtesy of NCGA
