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19th hole, but it will serve that purpose. It’s going to be a
great place to hang out. I’ve got 795 golf equity members
and almost 70,000 rounds of golf and I have a lot of
people to whom that’s a big deal.”
Within Mirasol’s two-acre short game area, every
imaginable pitch to be found on all 36 holes has been
replicated for practice purposes. “Drew even created a place
to practice hitting out of a fairway bunker to a target green
guarded by a bunker,” Thomas said. “I’ve never seen that
option. Being able to practice that shot? Pretty phenomenal.”
“The real challenge was studying all these strategies on both
courses, recreating them and giving the entire experience a
sense of place and flow. Today, you can immerse yourself in
that experience, before a round or merely as part of a practice
session. And you can walk through the entire sequence—
putting, short game, full shots—on foot, at your own pace. It’s
a complete golf experience all its own,” says Rogers.
But do investments in practice facility design provide a
return on investment?
At the
Wigwam Resort
near Phoenix, Arizona, an overhaul
of the practice facilities has delivered substantial additional
revenue. “The 54-hole facility suffered from an undersized
practice range that could, at best, accommodate just 10
players at one time. Length was also an issue as the range area
was wedged in between holes and limited to 225 yards,” says
Forrest Richardson, ASGCA.
The architect worked with the club to reconfigure portions
of two of the courses, improving holes while freeing up
space for new practice facilities. “Not only does the resort
now have an improved golf experience, but the expanded
Driving participation
Traverse City Golf & Country Club
has a rich history that
sees it celebrating its centenary in 2015 as one of northern
Michigan’s finest clubs, with an 18-hole course designed
by Tom Bendelow. The club recognized that investing in its
practice facility would help retain existing members and attract
new ones. So with the help of Ray Hearn, ASGCA, it set about
transforming all of its practice facilities
—
a driving range and a
practice chipping and sand bunker area. “The club has seen
an increase in range revenue and new member growth,” says
Hearn. “The range has also succeeded in introducing more
women and juniors to the club.”
BEST PRACTICE
By investing in its practice facilities, Traverse City has retained
existing members and attracted new ones
New practice facilities are helping to drive
golf participation at The Club at Mirasol