By Design - Fall 2018

11 Photo: Jacobson Golf Design Photo: iCon Golf Studio Photo: Golfplan Photo: Vestavia CC Singapore club to undergo US$20 million renovation Seletar Country Club in Singapore has selected Golfplan, led by Kevin Ramsey, ASGCA, and David Dale, ASGCA, to lead a renovation of its course. “With 11 holes being reimagined and reconstructed, the club saw the opportunity to sand-cap the entire course footprint, lay new irrigation, rebuild all the bunkers and regrass,” said Ramsey. Jacobson, ASGCA, completes major renovation of Sunset Valley Sunset Valley Golf Course in Highland Park, Illinois, is preparing to reopen following a major renovation by Rick Jacobson, ASGCA, as part of the town’s GreenPrint 2024 vision. “The goal was to improve infrastructure while enhancing the golf experience for all levels of golfers,” said Jacobson. Legion Memorial renovates for stormwater management Todd Schoeder, ASGCA, is renovating the Chandler Egan- designed municipal course in Everett, Washington, USA, to help minimize the impact of flooding. “With the new bunkers and green complexes, we are able restore Egan’s original design aesthetic on the new holes,” said Schoeder. V estavia Country Club in Birmingham, Alabama, has reopened following the completion of a comprehensive renovation project by golf course architect Lester George, ASGCA, of George Golf Design. The club has renovated tees, greens, fairways, bunkers and cart paths on all 18 holes, 10 of which were entirely rebuilt, added water features, created a new driving range and introduced a new irrigation system. New mowing patterns are giving the club at least 20 percent extra fairway width. Zoysia grass has been used on fairways, providing more disease tolerance and requiring less water than before. It also provides contrast with the bermuda grass rough, to give the holes greater definition. Landscapes Unlimited handled construction work and the Better Billy Bunker liner system has been used for bunkers. The project has been almost 12 years in planning, since the club’s creation of a long-range architectural course committee in 2006. Following interviews with almost a dozen architects, in 2011 Vestavia selected George to create a master plan. “I had the privilege to work for eight consecutive club presidents during this process,” said George. “We literally looked at all options. No matter how long the planning takes to get everything done right, it’s all worth it in the end.” Some highlights of the redesign include the transformed par-three seventh hole, which now plays over a lake on the property and the drivable par-four ninth hole. Tree clearance has opened wide vistas of the surrounding countryside. Construction work began in January 2017. “Construction and grow-in took 16 months and was continuously challenged by rain (more than 80 inches) and subsurface rock remediation. It is always special when I give the course back to the members after a renovation, but the long process only added to my strong sense of satisfaction on this project,” said George. Vestavia reopens following renovation by Lester George, ASGCA Renovation 3 2 7 6 4 8 5 1 9 13 14 12 18 10 11 15 16 17