By Design - Special Edition

13 / 20

13
Photos: NCR Country Club
A short game solution
A new short game facility at the historic NCR Country Club provides
members with a place to practice while also addressing flood problems
T he NCR Country Club in
Kettering, Ohio, has a highly-
rated 36 holes of golf designed by
Dick Wilson, but was without a credible
short game and learning center.
The club commissioned Hurdzan Golf
Design to help address this shortcoming.
Several possible sites on the property,
which is the drainage terminus for a
massive urban area, were identified as
possible locations for the facility. These
included an unused 10-acre parcel of land
that had little use because it would flood
several feet deep, several times per year—to
the extent that it had been affectionately
named ‘Lake Louise’ by members.
ASGCA Past President Dr. Michael
Hurdzan, ASGCA, and his partner Dr.
Christopher Hurdzan knew the area
would challenge their drainage expertise
and golf course design skills, but could
see its potential.
The designers first had to determine the
velocity, volume, frequency, and duration
of flood events, as well as where and what
proportion of drainage entered the site.
Next they established high-water flood
elevation, and then began a backward-
planning design process of flood
containment detention and programmed
release. The final drainage product
consisted of three separate and sculpted
dry detention basins, connected by pipes
and surface swales to a point where a
pumping plant could move the water
off-site. A short-game center was designed
on an area between the basins, where the
ground was elevated by spoil from the
basins. The center consists of five half-
size greens, a two-acre bentgrass practice
fairway—surrounded by bluegrass rough
and punctuated by bunkers—including
a 10,000 square feet centerpiece bunker.
They also designed parking for cars and
golf cars for members to access the facility.
Members now just help themselves to a
bag of balls to drop wherever they want to
practice, collecting them when finished,
and leaving the bag for another member
to use. The popular facility is the first sight
to greet members and guests from the
entrance drive, allowing the club to make
a spectacular opening impression.
The drainage system works perfectly. The
facility can be used almost immediately
after a rain event, with the ponds formed
within the three basins creating water
hazards for the short practice holes.
Location: Kettering, Ohio
Golf course architect:
Dr. Michael Hurdzan,
ASGCA Past President
Hurdzan Golf Design
Project summary: NCR Country
Club had no short game facility,
and a flood problem on some
open space reasonably close to
the clubhouse. Both issues have
been addressed, resulting in a
world-class golf practice and
learning facility that can be used
immediately after rain events.
Partners: Topp Shape
(construction); Century
Equipment (irrigation);
Norfleet, Brown & Petkewicz
(engineering)
NCR Country Club