Sand Valley Golf; Design and Construction Blog: Mother Nature's Best

Short Project History; The Good and Bad

This blog reveals a snippet of the daily challenge of building a special golf course. The only value in something like this for future investors and golf architecture aficionados is to tell the truth; warts and all.

Before arriving at Sand Valley the project was being constructed according to the "detailed plans" of another golf architect using a "golf course construction company" that had built a number of courses. They broke ground in June 2006. After 10-months the builder had proceeded to rape 14-holes and was fired.

I have been brought in to fix the problem, using locals to build the course. In the process all plans except the general routing scheme have been abandoned. The current course is being designed in the field, seizing every opportunity to improve the course as we go. That's the value of time. You can see the project from all angles, in all conditions, you have time to think about the problems and come up with the best solutions, and then refine them with the guys doing the building... in real-time. This is how many of the great courses were constructed. It only makes sense. More time, more input, more communication produces the best possible result.

That's why Sand Valley, though it had a rough start (using the "Typical Method") should have a fantastic finish.

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Mother Nature's Best

The day started in the construction trailer thinking about the 8^th green, sketching ideas, then establishing the construction roads so machines and trucks aren’t driving all over the course, especially the fairways. Fairways are not roadways. Then with Kai, the Head Honcho at Sand Valley, we drove to look at Mother Nature’s best. To be inspired by the forces of wind, water, the natural bunkers, and enjoy the smell of the sea.

Tony Ristola

Associated Blogs

Blog Archive

Short Project History; The Good and Bad

Tuesday, May 1, 2007

Mother Nature's Best